Just Left of The Moon
by FMB
Summary: Alfred writes a journal of his days alone in his Grandfather's young brother's house, detailing his every moment with the strange boy that fell from the sky. The more he writes, the more he unravels the truth of his father's fairytales. AmeCan so far
1. Prologue

Okay, Guys, I know I put a poll on my page asking which pairing I should do next, but I only got two responses and I swear one of them is accidentally mine, so I'm just going to go ahead and post this and hope it goes nicely. Oh, yes, and this will be **important****: Arthur's writing in the second part of this is italic, while Alfred's second entry is bold. His second entry is AFTER the beginning of the story. You'll know when he writes it down later.** I had originally made it two different fonts, but fonts don't work here. ): Also, Arthur wrote first. You'll understand what I mean. I hope you enjoy. This is intended to be AmeCan, but if you followed my other stories, you know how easily that can change (which is why I'm only putting this under Alfred for now)

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><p><em>"Hey, Papa?"<em>

_ "Yes, Alfred?"_

_ "Where do stars come from?"_

_ "Stars?"_

_ "Yeah. What are they made of?"_

_ "Do you mean babies, Alfred?"_

_ "Nuh-uh. I wanna know about the stars, Papa."_

_ "Well, son, stars are very complicated. Are you sure you want to know about them?"_

_ "Yes, I'm sure."_

_ "Okay. Keep an open mind, okay?"_

_ "What's that?"_

_ "We'll get to that another day. For now, let me tell you about the stars."_

_ "Okay."_

_ "Stars are glorious and beautiful creatures in the sky who look down on us with a concerned and caring eye. They are always looking out for us."_

_ "Do they die?"_

_ "Hmm? Why do you ask?"_

_ "Because stars fall, right? So that means they die, right? Where do they go when they die? How are they made?"_

_ "Hold on, Alfred, one question at a time. Which do you want me to answer first?"_

_ "Do stars die?"_

_ "No, they live forever. They will live until the end of time. They never die."_

_ "Then why do they fall?"_

_ "They fall because they get lonely up there."_

_ "But there are so many of them! How could they get lonely?"_

_ "Well, look up at the sky. Tell me what you see."_

_ "I see the moon… and some clouds… and a plane… and a lot of stars. A lot of them."_

_ "Yes, but what else do you see?"_

_ "Um… I don't know. I don't see anything else."_

_ "Exactly. What we can't see is the expansive space above the Earth where all of those stars are waiting. Do you see how some stars are brighter than others?"_

_ "Yeah…. Yeah I do. Does that mean they're closer?"_

_ "Precisely."_

_ "So, because of the great distance between the stars, they fall so they aren't alone?"_

_ "Good job, Alfred, that's exactly it."_

_ "Where do they fall to?"_

_ "They come here. To Earth. That's how I met your Grandmother."_

_ "But Grandmummy is dead…"_

_ "No, Alfred. She's still very much alive. She's back where she belongs, up in the sky, watching over you."_

_ "She's a star?"_

_ "Yes, she is. She's the one closest to the moon, the brightest one on the left, do you see her?"_

_ "Yeah, yeah I see her! I think she's waving!"_

_ "Yeah, I bet she is. She misses you, Alfred."_

_ "Why doesn't she come back, then?"_

_ "Because if she does, then she'll die. You see, when stars come down from their homes, they begin growing old and they start losing their strength and colour. When they go back in the sky, though, they stop aging and continue to live forever."_

_ "Oh…. Do you…. Do you think Mom is up there, too?"_

_ "Alfred…"_

_ "And… And Dad! They're both up there, right? They're those two right next to Grandmummy, and they're all together, right? They're all still alive, right?"_

_ "…."_

_ "Papa?"_

_ "Yes, Alfred. They're all up there. They're happy to see you, and they love you."_

_ "I bet it's really nice up there…."_

_ "…. Was there anything else you wanted to know about stars, Alfred?"_

_ "Huh? Oh, yeah! How are they made? Are they just taken up there like Grandmummy?"_

_ "Ah, that's a complicated question, Alfred. My feet are tired, why don't we turn back and head home?"_

_ "Oh, okay, Papa."_

_ "Come, hold my hand. We'll stop by the ice cream parlor on the way. How does that sound?"_

_ "Yay! That sounds yummy!"_

_ "Good boy, Alfred."_

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><p><em> "Papa?"<em>

_ "Yes, Alfred?"_

_ "Will they ever come back?"_

_ "Who? The Ice cream man? He's just gone to get your toppings."_

_ "No, not him. I mean… Mom and Dad. They didn't look old, not like Grandmummy."_

_ "….."_

_ "Did I do something wrong?"_

_ "You did nothing wrong, Alfred."_

_ "Then why did they leave me?"_

_ "…. Alfred, you know that's a complicated question…"_

_ "I want to know."_

_ "You're just a boy…"_

_ "I want to know!"_

_ "Alright, alright… sit back down now."_

_ "You'll tell me?"_

_ "Yes, but you have to promise not to interrupt me or tell anyone else, okay? It's a closely guarded secret that only stars knew about, until your Grandmother told me."_

_ "Okay, I promise!"_

_ "Pinkies?"_

_ "Pinkies!"_

_ "Good. Listen closely, okay? The reason why your Mom and Dad left to the sky was because all of the stars that had come to Earth were being called back. You see… something big is happening up there, and the stars want to keep us humans safe."_

_ "They're in danger?"_

_ "No, Alfred. They're perfectly safe. They live forever, remember?"_

_ "Oh, right."_

_ "Anyway, each star has a source of energy within their bodies, and when that energy is combined with all of the other stars surrounding the Earth, they can create a large and unbreakable shield that will wrap around the Earth and protect all of us."_

_ "All of us?"_

_ "All of us."_

_ "What are they protecting us from?"_

_ "They're protecting us from the evil invisible monster that eats everything in sight. This monster has had its sights set on Earth for so long, and now it's making its move. So your Mom and Dad didn't just leave you. They're protecting you, Alfred. Remember that, okay?"_

_ "Okay, Papa."_

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><p><em> "…. Hey, Papa?"<em>

_ "Yes, Alfred?"_

_ "In science class today…. We started learning about the universe…."_

_ "Oh, Astrology? Did you learn a lot?"_

_ "….. Well….."_

_ "What is it, Alfred?"_

_ "They said that there's no invisible monster in the sky. They called it a galaxy. They also told me that stars are just the product of a million tiny atomic reactions going on, which creates the light."_

_ "Now, now, Alfred, what are you trying to say?"_

_ "Were you lying to me?"_

_ "What?"_

_ "When you told me that Grandmummy and Mom and Dad were still alive. They're not alive, are they? They're dead. Just… dead."_

_ "Alfred!"_

_ "No! Don't touch me! They're dead, and you lied to me about it! Why would you do that, Papa? I trusted you! I believed you! I would sit at my window for hours, wishing that I would see Mom and Dad and Grandmummy come down to Earth again and tell me that everything was okay!"_

_ "Don't believe in everything you hear, Alfred."_

_ "Thanks for the life lesson, Papa!"_

_ "No, I meant your teachers! Alfred, get back here! Alfred! Al…. Al… fred…"_

_ "…. Papa?"_

_ "….."_

_ "Papa!"_

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><p><em> "He looks peaceful now. Like he's sleeping."<em>

_ "…."_

_ "Alfred, are you even paying attention?"_

_ "….."_

_ "Alfred, you git, sit up straight."_

_ "…"_

_ "Don't give me that blank stare. Come on, boy, be respectful. It's your Grandfather for all you care."_

_ "What do you know?"_

_ "I'm his brother."_

_ "Yeah right. You're way too young."_

_ "I am his brother, whether you believe me or not."_

_ "Whatever. Leave me alone."_

_ "No. I've been told to take care of you, Alfred, and that's exactly what I'm planning to do."_

_ "You can go jump off a cliff for all I care."_

_ "….. Brat…"_

_ "Ass."_

_ "Can't you at least pay your Grandfather your last respects before he's put in the bloody ground?"_

_ "Don't tell me what to do."_

_ "What am I going to do with you, boy?"_

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><p><em> "This is your house?"<em>

_ "Yes. Your room on the first floor down the hall. Last door to your left."_

_ "This is the laundry room, though."_

_ "I said first floor."_

_ "This is the first floor, dude."_

_ "This is the ground floor, eejit, the first floor is the first floor. Upstairs?"_

_ "That's the second floor."_

_ "No, the second floor is the attic. Now hurry up or I'll kick you up those bloody stairs."_

_ "I told you to stop telling me what to do."_

_ "You're not the boss of me."_

_ "Shut up!"_

_ "Just get to your bloody room, wanker!"_

_ "Fine! Whatever! Ass!"_

_ "You'll start work tomorrow!"_

_ "Work? What?"_

_ "Well, you're not staying here for free, boy."_

_ "I thought you were told to take care of me?"_

_ "Doesn't mean I have to. I can easily kick you out. How would you like to live at a soup kitchen for the rest of your bloody life?"_

_ "Damn it! What's my job, then? Cleaning up around the house?"_

_ "No, tending to my corn."_

_ "Corn? You're a farmer? Oh… oh this is just __brilliant__!"_

_ "Don't take that tone of voice with me, young man!"_

_ "I'm not a fucking kid!"_

_ "Like hell you are! You're starting work tomorrow whether you like it or not, first thing in the morning!"_

_ "Fuck you! I'll sleep in if I want!"_

_ "Just go to your room, Yankee!"_

_ "I'll be gone first thing in the morning! You'll wake up to find all my shit gone, and you'll feel fucking bad! You'll be guilty! I'll end up dead in an alleyway and it'll be your fault! Fucking eyebrows!"_

_ "Your __room!__"_

_ "Fuck you!"_

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><p><em>0|0<em>

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><p>It's been three months since Papa's funeral, and me and that Arthur guy still don't get along. I'm thirteen now, and I still feel like a fucking retard for believing everything Papa told me about stars. How could I have been so dense? Believing in crap like that was almost like believing in Santa Claus! Dammit….<p>

To top it all off, I'm being homeschooled by Mr. Abnormally-Large-Eyebrows-Man, just so I could tend to his stupid corn field while he chills in his souped up and air conditioned living room watching some crappy re-runs of Doctor Who on BBC or something. It was mid-summer, so it was probably a gazillion degrees out there, but the thermometer only said ninety-eight. I want to punch that thermometer in the face. It deserves it for lying about the temperature.

I hate liars now. I hate them with a passion. I swear, if anyone else lies to me about _anything_ ever again, I will beat the living shit out of them, then hang them from their toes off a flying plane, or drag them down the street while hooked to the back of Athur's pick-up truck. I don't know how to drive, but that doesn't mean I can't figure out which is gas and which is break. And let me tell you, once I find that gas pedal, that person would be road-burned for _life._

Alfred F. Jones

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><p>Another month, and I'm still waiting for someone to burst through the door and take me away from this hell-hole. Arthur's trying to teach me all of this 'pre-college' crap that only geniuses would be able to learn, and he's expecting me to figure it all out in one day. <em>One day!<em> What does he think I am, Ghandi?

Ghandi was that genius dude who made the bomb, right? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was Ghandi. And I even writing his name right? Gone-d? Gaun-dee? Gan-dii? I dunno.

Anyway, Gone-d or no Gaun-dee, I'm still being treated like shit here. I hate this guy, I seriously do. I want to roundhouse kick him in the face. Just like Chuck Chan. Or Jackie Norris. Either one.

Alfred F. Jones

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><p>Who does this guy think he is? What an asshole! What a complete asshole! How the hell did he think he could do that? I'll kill him! That bitch! I hate him so much! I hate him I hate him I hate him! Dammit!<p>

Alfred Fucking Jones

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><p>What the hell is up with Eyebrows now? He's being so fucking moody, it's throwing me off. Can he be any more of a fucking priss? I hate this guy so much, but he's really starting to creep me out. He's just acting weird, that's all.<p>

It's not like I'm genuinely worried or anything. He's just being strange.

Alfred F. Jones

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><p>I don't get it, one day Arthur is yelling at me for useless crap and forcing me to pick up after myself and stupid shit like that, and the next, he's crying on my shoulder? What's up with him? Seriously, I'm really worried for my own safety here. What if his mood swings turn him violent next?<p>

It was weird, though, what he said when he was crying. He said something like "He was such a great man. He shouldn't have died. He shouldn't have left me. He should've just gone back with the rest of us."

I think he was talking about Papa…

Alfred F. Jones

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><p>So… I asked him about it. Not that I was worried or anything. Far from it! I was just curious. I mean, wouldn't you be curious too? Well, this is what I can remember:<p>

I went up to Arthur, who was sitting in this huge red lounge chair tucked into the corner of the living room with a cup of brandy in his hand and a cigar in the other, watching the fire or some boring shit like that, and I asked him, "Hey, dude, you know how you were crying the other day?"

He glared at me, it was kinda funny. I couldn't take him seriously anymore after watching him cry like a girl on my shoulder, but then he looked at his drink.

"What about it?" He definitely still sounded sad.

"Well, who were you talking about?" I asked

"Who do you think?"He asked

"I dunno, that's why I'm asking you." I said.

"Sit down." He said. I sat on the couch.

"I was talking about your Grandfather."

"You were saying weird things."

"I know. I'm sorry, but I don't want to explain it to you."

"Then why did you make me sit?"

"…. Go to your room, git."

"No, tell me."

"Dammit, I'm not in the mood."

"Just tell me!"

He was getting really worked up, and it was pretty funny, until he threw his cup at me and yelled at me to go to my room. I did as quickly as I could, and wrote everything down. At least I think that's everything.

Alfred F. Jones

**That wasn't everything. Arthur had been**

**crying that day. I remember it clearly.**

**He really didn't want to talk**

**about my Papa, and now I understand why.**

**Alfred.**

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><p>Man, I'm under room-arrest for a week just because I pissed Arthur off! What a fucking priss! I was just trying to be considerate or whatever! Ass.<p>

Alfred F. Jones

_Now, now, Alfred, you should really learn to control that anger of yours._

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><p>Dude, are you reading my friggin' journal? What the hell, man? This is private stuff! You ass, stop reading my journal! This is the only privacy I get!<p>

Alfred F. Jones

_Tsk, Tsk, __Alfred, there's no such thing as_

_privacy in my house. What's yours is mine and what's_

_mine is mine. You'll understand one day,_

_I'm sure._

**Actually, Arthur, I do understand you **

**now. It took a while, but I think I finally**

**get what you've been trying to teach**

** me. Thanks. **

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><p>God dammit, I'll never understand you, eyebrows! Leave me alone! If you don't stop reading my journal, I'll sneak into your bedroom and shave off your damn brows! Then I'll read whatever journal you have and I'll be the last one laughing! Just you wait!<p>

Alfred F Jones

**Oh, to be young again…**

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><p>I don't think I'll ever really understand this but… me and Arthur kind of had a moment. It was weird and awkward and he was crying and I was crying and then we hugged and he said to me "I knew you'd come around one day."<p>

I don't really want to write down what happened though. I'll just keep it in my head…

Alfred F. Jones

**I should've written it down. All I can remember now was that Arthur had told me he had to leave. He was going somewhere far away, and he told me we wouldn't see each other for a long while. Of course, as a boy of thirteen, I got scared and nervous. I didn't want him to leave. I still don't remember what it was that he told me, exactly… all I can really remember is that he wasn't as…. Bright as he usually was. If that makes sense. Well, I guess it'll only make sense if you knew my Papa well enough. Or me.**

**But I have a pretty good guess about where he ran off to…**

**Alfred.**

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><p>I'll be alone from now on. I'm sure I'll have a lot of time on my hands to keep writing in my journal, but now I have to really start working. Was he training me for this? Did he know he was going to leave?<p>

What an ass. The least he could do was giving me a heads-up a few weeks prior, instead of mentioning it over dinner the night before.

Well, I guess complaining won't do much about the situation. Maybe he'll be back soon? Don't tell him, and he better not read this, but I hope he does come back. I'm kind of… lonely.

Alfred F. Jones

…_. I'm so, so sorry._

**Me too.**


	2. Entry 1

I'm pretty certain this idea has been done a bajillion times already, but that won't stop me. I love originality, I seriously do, it's just… I don't have any of it :P So, I'm going to continue ripping off stories and such. Honestly, I have no clue what I'm ripping off right now, all I know is its probably been done before xD Oh well, I hope you enjoy it.

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><p>It's Saturday, and Saturday is probably the only day I'm able to go out to the town so I could buy groceries and tractor parts. I would come on a week day, when people were out and active, but I always had to clean the house and tend to the fields. Not that I was being told to, not anymore. It was more out of habit, and I didn't really want to break the schedule. I don't know why.<p>

The cashier, an old meaty man with silver brows and a thick moustache that hugged his bare chin, rang me up, calculating the prices and bagging the various foods in paper bags.

"How's the farm?" He asked, his voice like thunder. Not booming, but rumbling.

"It's still growing, so I must be doing something right." I said lightly, getting a nod from the emotionless hunk of meat. The only time this guy ever laughed or smiled was when his 'darling' niece was around. Everyone else was like a heap of shit to the man. Particularly the hairdresser, but that's a different story.

"How have you been?" He continued the conversation, carefully stacking the two cartons of eggs, then putting the bread above them. I adjusted my glasses until they sat comfortable on the rim of my nose, shuffling through the various postcards stacked on the counter.

"…Still living, so I must be doing something right." I muttered lamely, and the man sighed, almost blowing the postcard I had in my hand. This guy's sighs were probably as strong as a hurricane. I constantly wondered how huge his lungs must be in order to hold that much air.

"If you ever need anything, we're here for you. Remember that, Alfred." He tried to sound convincing and comforting, but I scowled anyway. No matter who said it, if it weren't my parents, I didn't want to hear it. I hated hearing that phrase coming from someone who wasn't related to me.

I took the brown bags, one in each arm, and I started walking out of the shop, keeping my eyes on the door.

"Alfred." The cashier called out, and I tilted my head back and sighed myself. Luckily, I didn't cause a whole house to crumble with my sigh, unlike meat-man back there.

"What is it, dude?" I was annoyed, and I let it show in my voice. However, this guy sucked at picking up on things like that. I shouldn't complain, though, since I couldn't read the atmosphere either.

"We're worried about you." He told me, and I smirked. 'We' being he and his 'sweet as chocolate' niece. Her parents were dead, and he didn't have a wife or children, so they made a good duo.

"Don't be. I'm fine." I said, adjusting the weight of the bags, then continuing out onto the sidewalk where my bike waited. I would've driven the tractor down instead, but it was running low on gas, and I didn't want it to die in the middle of the road. So I stuffed my groceries in the basket on the back of the bike and I got on, pedaling down the road and towards my farmhouse Arthur left me.

When I reached the pathway that led to the door, I hopped off my bike and walked it up until I got to the steps, then I flipped the kickstand and leaned it close to the wall. I unlocked the door first, pushing it open with my foot as I grabbed the groceries. I shuffled into the house, nudging the door closed with my butt, then shrugging my jacket off, letting the bag balance on my hip, hugged between my side and the wall as the jacket slid off one arm, then the same with the other. When it dropped to the floor, I stepped on the back of each sneaker, pulling them off by the heel, then slipping my socked feet out and swiping them against the wall with my windbreaker. After, I padded down the wooden halls, past the rectangular archway into the living room and the small marble bathroom, then I made a left at the guest bedroom and down a shorter hall that had one entire side that opened up into the kitchen. I set the bags on the linoleum counters beside the microwave and I started unpacking them, putting the bread by the microwave, the two cartons of eggs in the fridge, and the various cereals on top of the white fridge, leaving the Cap'n Crunch on the counter and digging out a shallow glass bowl.

As I filled up the bowl, I flipped on the small television beside the microwave, not with the bread, but on the other side. It was the news, of course. A farmer needed to keep track of the weather at all times. At least, that's what Arthur taught me.

"Tomorrow there will be a chance of heavy rain. In fact, there may even be a big storm coming through in the next few days. If it does, there may be a blackout, so make sure you have some spare candles or kerosene lamps in your closets!" The weather man said, and I groaned. Sure, I wouldn't have to water the plants for a few days if there's a storm, but I hate blackouts.

"Oh… Oh I'm… getting an update." The man stammered, pressing a hand to his ear, probably so he could hear through the receiver he was wearing. It was made to look like a Bluetooth and I was told it was supposed to make him look professional but also human, but to me it made him seem all the more alienated.

"There storm is coming in much quicker than… previously anticipated…"

Oh hell, if I have to suffer through a blackout _right now_ I was seriously going to punch a cow. I was spooning dry scoops of Cap'n Crunch in my mouth quickly as I watched the weather man become more and more agitated as information spilled in through his idiotic Bluetooth. Then, I heard a deep and thundering _BOOM!_

No way in HELL did a storm move that fast! I wondered, 'was it a hurricane instead?' I nearly threw my bowl on the counter, spilling dry Cap'n Crunch all over the place, and I ran to the window, pulling open the shutters to peek outside. It got gray impossibly quickly! I couldn't see any hurricane or tornado, but that didn't mean there wasn't one. I ran to my front door, grabbing my jacket and squeezing my feet into the sneakers, then I ran back down past the kitchen and out the sliding door in the back, where the corn field was. I stepped off the porch, still tugging on my black jacket and I examined the skies. It wasn't raining yet, but it was definitely going to in a few minutes. The clouds were moving so quickly, and for a minute I thought I was watching a time-lapse video or something.

Another booming noise sounded, and a flash of lightning was seen in the grayness. I stepped further outside, reaching the wire fence that separated the thin strip of backyard from the corn, and I continued looking around, spinning in quick circles to find any sign of a tornado.

'Dammit, it was fall! We're not supposed to be having any tornados! Or rain! Fuck weather and Mother Nature! I wanted my corn to finish growing before the cold snap!' I thought.

Then, I saw it. It was very brief, but I saw it nonetheless.

A bright amber-yellow streak shot through the clouds, leaving a hazy golden glow in its path. I followed its short existence with my eyes, and it vanished within the clouds. I didn't know what to make of it. I tried to convince myself it was just a plane, but even I knew planes didn't fly _that_ fast.

When I was trying to persuade myself that it was just a normal light, the clouds just above my cornfield snapped apart in a circle, and the amber light shot down and collided with the ground just as another booming strike of thunder made its appearance. The ground shook from the impact and I saw the stalks of corn sway and shudder.

The first thing I thought, the very first thing that came to mind, was a simple 'Oh HELL no!'

"My corn!" I cried dramatically, running forward without thinking of possible dangers of whatever that had just fallen from the sky. If I didn't have a complete harvest, I won't be able to bring in enough money for the winter! I hopped over the short fence and bolted through the stalks, shoving them gently away so I didn't get hit. Then the stalks cut short in a sudden drop. I skidded to a halt, falling back on my butt and twisting my ankle. I had almost fallen into the pit, but I was able to grip onto a rather stubborn stalk and keep myself from nose-diving into the nothingness.

I was panting heavily, and I scooted forward and peered down the dark hole. It was either terribly dark, or terribly _deep_, and I began to feel curious as to what really fell from the sky. I leaned forward just a bit more, still holding tightly onto my beloved corn, and I started seeing a faint yellow-ish glow.

"H-Hello?" I called out, but I got no response. The glow seemed to get a little brighter, and I patted the ground in search for a rock without taking my eyes off the light. When I found a pebble, I tossed it into the hole

"Ouch!"

_ouch?_

OUCH?

"Hello?" I yelled out again, a little more hysterically than before. I had backed away from the hole a considerable amount, and was practically hugging the stalk that had saved my life. I heard a shuffling noise, then pebbles tumbling, and soon a glowing metallic gold hand popped out and gripped the ground, right beside my foot. I squeaked and tugged both feet back, immediately regretting the sudden movement. My ankle throbbed painfully and I rubbed the soreness, still trying to back away from the arm that had now found its way out of the hole.

With a strained noise, a whole body was pulled out of the ground and onto the edge. The entirety of this body was a metallic gold, and the hair… the hair was forever flowing and glowing so beautifully! It was like liquid gold, never ceasing its windless flutter. One knee came up after the torso, then a second knee, and soon this glowing and almost angelic body was hovering above mine, skinny, frail arms on either side of my legs.

"Who are you?" I demanded, still feeling a little worked up since there was a _hole_ in my corn field. The person slowly looked up; their goldenrod lips hanging open in a small yawn, and his eyes were shut, like a baby. When he had finished yawning, he moved a little closer to me, and I backed away just as quickly. He made a babbling noise, his brows pinching together in an upward arch, and it really looked like he just wanted a hug.

'Who knows, though? This guy –if it was a guy, that is- could be covered in some sort of poisonous… Poison that's… poisonous and stuff! I could die just by poking him, much less hug him! I would not take any chances! None! He –or she- could be some sort of maniac killer from a different planet that only Doctor Who would know how to kill, but he'd only be notified after my death!' I mused.

'God damn, I missed Arthur that badly?'

I shook my head slowly, then returned my attention to the problem at hand. Man, was this guy –or girl- absolutely _beautiful!_ Even if he didn't have human coloured skin and glowed like a radioactive element, he was just stunning! His eyes were still closed, and he kept making baby noises, as if he didn't know English. Well, hey, if he's an alien, maybe he _doesn't_ know English! Well, he should've learned if he was coming here.

He moved forward again, his head coming closer to mine, and I flinched back, instinctively putting a hand on his shoulder to stop him. A _bare _hand.

'Oh, shit!' I screamed in my head.

I tore my hand away as quickly as possible, making the alien-whatever-it-was-dude babble more and look even more in need of a hug, and I was seriously panicking over whether my hand was burning or not. I was panicking so much that I had started to imagine the pain, but when I realized nothing happened, I turned a bright red and felt a little embarrassed.

The alien-whatchamacallit-thing tilted his head to the right, as if examining me through closed eyes. It continued the incoherent babble, and then his own cheeks started to turn a light shade of pink. I widened my eyes in shock, my eyebrows rising to their highest point, and the weird-ass creature tilted its head to the other side. Its head turned back so it was straight, and it raised its own golden eyebrows, matching my own.

"W-what…. Are you?" I whispered, and the alien scrunched its face up, as if it smelled a bad odor. Then, his eyes slowly began to open. I half-expected them to be pure white, and half-expected them to be just as golden and shiny as his skin, but instead, they were a glittering heliotrope colour, flowing with emotion and life like his hair.

"Oh… wow…" I breathed, and the alien kept its eyes on me. It moved closer again, and I was frozen to the spot, not leaning back and not moving forward. I just stared at the glowing being, my heartbeat quickening as I imagined it going 'Kali-mah!' while ripping out my heart.

But, he did something totally different. Something I was not expecting in the least. It leaned forward and _kissed_ me. It wasn't a passionate kiss or anything, just a quick peck on the lips. I spluttered against the golden boy's lips, then yanked myself away, and the being looked at me questioningly.

"Hello." It said, and I blinked.

"Uh….. hi?" I muttered, and the being smiled and sat back on its legs. And _that_ was when I noticed how…. Naked he –definitely a he- was.

"Oh… oh jeez." I yelped, turning my head away and covering my eyes, my face heating up even more.

"Jeez?" He asked, and I tugged off my jacket and wrapped it around the boy's waist so that the longer part was covering him. I guess it had started raining when I was too busy staring into this _thing's_ face, and it was coming down hard. I was already soaked, and taking off my jacket didn't help.

"Um…. Hey, you're not dangerous or anything, right?" I asked quickly, really wanting to get inside where it was warm and dry. The alien shook his head, his hair flowing even more as he did so. I smiled weakly, still feeling the buzz of shock and adrenaline rushing through me, and I forced myself onto my feet, my ankle throbbing in protest. I groaned a little, but forced weight on it anyway. The alien practically floated to his feet, looking so graceful and smooth while doing it. I nodded a little, mumbling a small and unsure 'Right…'

I led him towards my house, not wanting to touch him, but not wanting to lose sight of him. I forced him to walk in front of me at first, but when he complied, I wasn't able to take my eyes off of his bare backside. I switched our positions again, keeping him behind me so I didn't have to keep staring, and I made him hold onto the back of my shirt as if he were a kid.

He didn't seem to mind, and when we got into the house, I flipped the switch up to get some light.

… And of course...

The power's out!

I huffed to myself and turned to tell the alien that I didn't have electricity, and he just stared at me blankly. After a minute, he gave me a look of realization, then touched the switch, and the lights flickered on. I blinked at the flickering bulb, then shook my head.

'I'm dreaming. Definitely dreaming. I'm just asleep, and when I wake up, I'll find myself on the road or something, all my groceries strewn out around me. It'll suck, sure, but it'll make so much sense.' I brooded.

"Electricity." The alien said, pointing at the flickering bulb and still pressing his finger to the switch. I gave him a bewildered look, then nodded slowly and sat down at the table. He went to sit with me, but when he removed his hand, the lights died, leaving us in a semi-dark room. Since he was glowing, I was able to see him and what surrounded him, but I couldn't see anything else. When the room had gone dark again, he looked around in confusion.

I groaned slightly, upset that I would have to burn the candles, and the alien looked at me and made a small gasp, then he put his hands to his lips and murmured out "Oh, no!"

"What are you, a baby?" I asked, a little annoyed by how little he spoke. He stared at me blankly for a minute, then shook his head.

"I learn." He said confidently, then looked around the room in search for something.

"Look, I'm going to go get some candles, so stay here, okay?"

"I stay." He affirmed, wiggling in his seat to assure he was going to stay. I let out a soft sigh and left him in the kitchen, going upstairs and opening the closet to the left of the stairs, searching for the candles and flashlights. When I shoved the whole of them in my arms, I limped back downstairs and returned in the kitchen, only to find nothing there. I frowned and looked around, not finding any kind of glowing light anywhere.

I sighed and decided I must've been hallucinating. Maybe the blackout happened earlier than I imagined and I panicked so much I was sent into some sort of psycho-hallucination-thing? I grumbled and dropped the candles and flashlights on the wooden table, grabbing one light and turning it on. I knew I had matches in the kitchen, I just had to remember where. I shuffled over to the sink, getting down on my knees and tugging open the cabinets. When I opened them, I was greeted not with a package of matches or even a small rat of some sort, but instead a curled up glowing alien creature that flinched and looked at me, then smiled.

"You find!" He said happily, crawling out from under the sink and hugging me. I backed away from him quickly, yanking his arms off of me and scowling at him.

"Find? We're not playing hide-and-seek!" I scolded, and the alien pouted at me, jutting out its lower lip cutely. I got to my feet, and the alien just hugged my legs as he stared up at me with that pout.

"What is it? Let go." I commanded, but the alien shook his head instead and continued his puppy-dog eyes. I groaned again and put my hands on my hips, shining the light down at the floor. His eyes widened and he looked at the glowing spot on the ground, and he pointed at it.

"Electricity!" He said excitedly, and I raised a brow.

"It's light. Electricity makes light." I said, and the alien looked up at me with a concentrated expression.

"Light… light is… good? Light makes…. See?" He asked, slowly going from useless-incoherent-dumb-baby phase into slightly-understanding-still-very-stupid-but-crafty-toddler-mode.

"Um, yes. Light lets us see. We're in the middle of a blackout." I explained, and he made an 'o' shape with his lips and he looked back at the spot of light.

"Where from?" He asked, using his finger to follow the stream of light to the flashlight in my hands. He made an excited babbling noise and swiped the flashlight from me, cradling it in his hands and testing its weight. He was still clinging to my legs, so I had to flap around to keep myself standing up straight.

"Hey, stop that, you're going to break it, dude!" I tried scolding, but he paid me no mind and looked straight into the bulb, squinting his eyes and shaking his head.

"Ow!" He whined, rubbing an eye and holding the light away, "Hurt!"

"Well, obviously!" I huffed, and he looked up at me curiously. He tilted the flashlight up so my face was clear, but not high enough that it was blinding me. He tilted his head, then got to his feet and stepped uncomfortable close. I shied away, but I found myself trapped between him and the table. He was examining my face closely, and I was growing redder by the second.

Then, something amazing happened. He closed his eyes and started humming a single tone, and soon the golden skin of his started to melt and peel from him. It wasn't really gross, but it wasn't particularly attractive to look at either. He kind of looked like a snake shedding golden skin, and I briefly wondered if it was painful at all. He continued his humming, the gold flaking away to show human skin and a normal –well, earth normal- tone. When he was just about done, he opened his eyes again and smiled.

'Oh my god…' I thought. He had stolen my face!

Well, minus the eyes…

But the lips! The cheeks! The nose!

I gaped at him, and he laughed softly. His hair was still a flowing crop of shimmering gold, unlike mine, and his eyes were still a forever changing wisteria, and his body was much thinner than mine. He was still wearing the jacket-skirt I put on him, and I was a little curious as to what changes were made down _there_, but I'm a decent man, so I didn't check.

"That was…. Interesting…" I muttered, glancing down at the floor to see the metallic gold shriveling up into a rusted brown colour, then dispersing in an almost nonexistent wind. The alien laughed softly and hugged me again, making me jump and try to pry his arms off.

"What is up with you and hugging all the time, dude?" I yelped, and he pouted and let go of me. I let out a sigh and tried to stay stern, but that pout was driving me nuts. With or without metallic skin, he was still gorgeous.

"Fine." I grumbled, holding out my arms for the thin boy. He smiled happily and made a successful noise, then threw his arms around my neck and hugged me tightly, humming in delight and trying to fit his body closely against mine.

We stayed like this for a while, and when I tried to pull him away, I realized he had fallen asleep on me shoulder. My eyebrows shot up once more in surprise, and I easily lifted him into my arms. Either he was impossibly light, or I became impossibly stronger. And I was already friggin' strong, thank you! I took the flashlight from his hand and used it to guide the way up the stairs and down the narrow hallway, into the room opposite of Arthur's, which was my own room. I laid him down on the bed and tucked him in, unable to resist running my fingers through the never-resting golden locks on his head. He sighed at my touch and turned towards it, nuzzling my hand in a comforted way.

Well, I wasn't tired yet, but since it was the middle of a blackout, I figured I could sleep early. I nodded and peeled my still damp shirt off, then shimmied out of my jeans and boxers, and I slipped into some warm sweats. I contemplated going into Arthur's room to sleep to give the alien some privacy, but I didn't really want to ruin the time-capsule that was Arthur's bedroom. When he left, I never touched the place. And no matter how beautiful this guest of mine was, I wasn't going to just barge into the room of the man who took care of me and ruin everything. Mostly if he would be coming back.

I tucked myself under the sheets beside still slightly glowing creature, and when I pulled the sheets above both of our shoulders, he pulled himself closer to me and sighed again, still sleeping soundly. His hair was brushing against my face as it flowed around his cheeks, and it felt as if it were full of a warm energy, which actually lulled me to sleep. It was one of the most relaxing and fulfilling nights I've had since Arthur left.

Alfred F. Jones


	3. Entry 2

When I woke up, I opened my eyes to see bright and lively thistles staring into my bland and still tired blues. I nearly jumped, and he laughed when I flinched away.

"Hello!" He said childishly, and I settled my hand on my chest, panting from the shock.

"H-hey." I mumbled, and he sat up. The jacket-skirt had come loose during the night and had fallen down to his thighs, along with the sheets. I blushed and turned away, and he raised a curious brow, never letting the smile fall from his lips.

"Why don't we get you some clothes?" I suggested, and he smiled and looked around, then tugged at my pants.

"Clothes?" He asked me, looking up for approval. When I nodded at him, he tossed his hands in the air in triumph, then hopped out of the bed, tugging the jacket-skirt from his legs. I blushed more and covered my face with a hand, shaking my head gently and wondering how he could be so okay running around like that. He started wrapping the blankets around his body as a make-shift dress, and he was giggling the whole way through. I rolled my eyes at him, then got up and went to the closet, digging through the various clothes I had. I tugged out a few shirts and pants and tossed them at the alien, making him yelp and laugh more.

"Clothes." He sighed, dropping the blanket and letting it crumple at his ankles. He glanced between me and the pair of pants he had in his hands, then started slipping them on, shuffling from foot to foot to get them up around his hips. I crossed my arms, watching him pull up the zipper and fumble with the button. When he couldn't button his jeans, he gave me an upset face and pointed down at his crotch. I sighed and went to him, tugging him closer by his hips, then buttoning up his pants. When they were secure, he smiled and hugged me again, keeping eye contact as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

"Warm." He mumbled, pressing his bare chest against my own. He was ridiculously warm, and it felt nice having him against my body. Then he started petting my hair, frowning and narrowing his eyes. He patted his own hair, getting a thoughtful look. He closed his eyes again, and I widened my eyes and gripped his shoulders, making him open his eyes again.

"Hey, don't change your hair! I like my haircut to be original, thank you!" I quickly demanded, making Matthew's brows rise, then a smile come across his face. He wrapped his arms around my neck again, babbling happily.

"So… are you an alien?" I asked, putting my arms around his waist. Hey, it was cold then, like most mornings, and I was shirtless. It was nice having a personal heater rubbing up against you. The alien tilted his head and gave me a concentrated look, his lower lip jutting out slightly.

"Alien…?" He asked softly, and I went into detail.

"You know, UFOs, tentacles, green skin, miniature, from different plants, the works." I tried, but his concentrated face turned into confusion.

"No. From sky." He said, pointing upwards to emphasize where the sky was. I bunched my brows together and I glanced up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, but… where from the sky? I mean, you were glowing, dude." I tried reasoning, and he just shook his head, looking even more confused. "And what was that kiss for, anyway? I mean, it was really uncalled for…"

"Kiss?" He asked, looking interested now and tilting his head. I nodded, then tapped my lips.

"You kissed me. You put your lips against mine." I explained, and he tapped his own lips with his pointer finger, then tapped mine and smiled.

"Kiss!" He exclaimed, and I shook my head, frowning.

"No, that's not a kiss." I said, and his smile turned into an upset frown.

"Kiss?" He asked again, tapping his lips once more. Then, a look of realization came over him, and he smiled and kissed me again. I quickly jerked my head away, making him laugh and hug me tighter.

"Stop kissing me!" I whined, and he just laughed some more.

"But if I did not, I would not learn." He said smoothly, looking much less confused and much happier. I raised my brows again, and he laughed softly and started playing with my hair again.

"Why do you not want my hair to change, eh?" He asked, the 'eh' coming from nowhere. Funny, he sounded a little Canadian. Maybe all aliens sounded Canadian?

"Well, you already stole my face… I don't want a complete replica of me running around my house." I complained, and he nodded in understanding. Then, I felt my brow twitch and I scoffed, "Hey, wait a minute, you're totally avoiding my question, dude! Are you an alien or what?"

"I am not alien." He said, his words still a little strange. But no way in _hell_ was he going to kiss me again. Nuh-uh. My lips were for Earth girls only!

"Then what are you? I know you said you fell from the sky, but that doesn't really explain everything." I pointed out, and he shrugged and thought about it.

"Hmmm… I come from sky, though." He said, as if saying it a second time would make me understand. "I… oh!" He let go of me and went over to the window, looking out to see it was still raining heavily. He went to open the window, but I quickly went to his side and grabbed his wrist.

"Don't do that, it'll get too cold." I instructed, and the alien pouted at me and tried to open it anyway. I sighed and grabbed both of his wrists, spinning us around so I was blocking him from the window. He made an annoyed noise, but stopped fighting against me.

"Go put your shirt on, okay?" I said, and he looked back over to the small pile of clothes on the bed. He gave me a confused look, and I couldn't help but laugh. I brought him to the bed and made him sit, taking the red long-sleeve and rolling it up so it'd be easier to put on him.

"Lift your arms, okay?" I ordered, and he nodded and lifted his arms above his head, watching me with interest as I slipped both arms in the sleeves, then tugged the rest of it over his head. He squeaked at first when the shirt tugged on his hair, but when it was snuggly on him, he smiled and rubbed the cloth against himself. The sleeves were a little long, but he didn't mind. I took another one of the shirts and pulled it on, then exchanged my sweats for jeans. He watched me dress, almost a little too closely.

"Hey, so tell me what you are." I said, and he laughed softly and kept rubbing the shirt.

"I am from sky." He said again, and I groaned and rubbed my forehead. This was getting nowhere fast. Plus, I needed to go check on my corn, mostly the huge gaping hole in the middle of my field.

"Come on, alien, you're going to help me." I demanded, and he hopped up onto his feet and stepped beside me. He still wasn't wearing shoes, but I didn't really have anything for him to use. Also, I probably wouldn't be able to get to the town in this weather. Riding a bike down those slippery roads would be like suicide. And my tractor was still running on E. I tried to give him socks, but he didn't want to wear them for some reason.

When I got my water-proof brown jacket on, I pulled on the hood and zipped it up to my neck. I led the alien out the sliding door and into the cornfield. He followed behind me noisily, commented on the corn and the rain and the mud under his feet. I just sighed and brought him to the crater, carefully sliding down the hole. It wasn't as deep as I imagined, but it was a steep incline. The alien watched from the edge of the hole, laying on his stomach in the mud and probably ruining my shirt.

"Dammit, why did you have to blow half my field into the ground, man?" I whined, and the alien tilted his head in confusion. I grumbled to myself and dug around the hole, looking for anything that might tell me where this alien came from. I only found dirt and rocks, though, which made me a little upset. The alien got to his feet, then slid down the side of the crater and stood beside me. I glanced back at him, noticing the mud caked all over his clothes.

"What are you looking for?" He asked kindly, getting down on his knees and digging through the ground. I kept looking too, sighing to myself.

"I'm looking for any clues as to where you came from." I explained, peeling off rocks and digging in the bottom. I didn't make the hole any wider, though, because that would just endanger the rest of my corn.

"Daddy!" The alien cried out, and I looked over at him curiously. He was holding something in his hands, it looked like a necklace, and he was hugging it to his chest and hopping up and down.

"Your dad is a necklace?" I asked, and he laughed at me and shook his head. He held out the necklace so I could look at it. The chain was the same metallic gold as the alien's old skin, and the crystal hanging from it glowed with a forest green colour.

"Dad gave it to me." He explained, and I raised a brow and touched the necklace, holding the crystal in my hand and looking over the flowing colours.

"So you _are_ an alien?" I asked, and he shook his head again, putting the necklace on and tucking it under the mud-caked shirt. When he wore the necklace, he seemed to glow a little. I didn't think about it too much, though, and we climbed out of the ditch.

"Hey, alien or not, why did you come here?" I asked as we walked through the field and towards the house. I didn't want to try filling up the hole when it was raining, in case a small mudslide trapped me down there. I would just have to wait until the mud dried.

"I came because I was alone." He said, wiping the mud off of his shirt, but some of it had already stained the cloth. His feet were dirty, too, but I let him in my house anyway. I made him sit in the kitchen, and I started to wipe his toes clean. He flinched and started laughing, jerking around whenever I got between his toes.

"I thought you had a father?" I asked him when I was done tickling him, and he nodded and wiggled his now clean feet.

"But we only meet once in a few years." He said sadly, and I looked up at him from cleaning the dirtied floor with the rag.

"How many?" I pried, and the alien shrugged and fingered the necklace through the shirt.

"Last time I saw was two-zero-zero-zero years." He mumbled, and I had to write it out in my head to realize he meant 2000 years.

"Two… two thousand?" I exclaimed, and he just nodded with a frown.

"He didn't want me to come here. He said it was dangerous." He told me, and I stood and started tugging the alien's shirt off so I could give him a new one. He just lifted his arms for me so the shirt would slip off easier.

"What's dangerous about Earth?" I snorted sarcastically, and he smiled a little, then laughed softly.

"He says people hurt us." He continued, and I nodded silently while unbuttoning his pants and lowering the zipper. Oh, but I had forgotten to give him boxers earlier. I took his hands and pulled him up to his feet, leading him upstairs and he kept talking, "He tell me 'Matthew, you do not go down there, it is no fun. People are scary. People are bad.' I just got curious-er, though."

"You have a name?" I interrupted him, and he smiled and nodded.

"Matthew. You have name too, eh?" He asked in return, and I nodded and brought him back to the bedroom.

"Alfred." I replied, and he smiled happily. I pulled out some boxers and a new pair of clothes for him, then I told him to take his pants off, which he did obediently.

"Well, keep telling me the story, dude." I said, tossing the boxers at him. He caught them at first, but his grip was too loose, and he had to flail his arms to keep the boxers from falling onto the floor.

"What are these?" He asked, looking at the underwear in curiosity.

"Boxers. They hold your…. Er… lower regions comfortably." I tried explaining, and he shrugged and slipped them on. When I was now able to actually look at him without feeling mind-raped, he continued his story while still dressing.

"Well, I got curious-er, and I was really alone. I thought to self, 'Daddy will not know' and so I come here. It hurt when landing, though." He finished, rubbing his shoulder before tugging on his shirt. He really did learn quickly.

"Are you the last of your kind?" I asked carefully, and he gave me a surprised look.

"No! My kind live forever!" He claimed, putting a finger to his necklace again, then glancing at the window. "Daddy tells me that from Earth, you see everyone, but everyone still no see you." I glanced out the window too, but it was still storming out, and the sky wasn't visible because of the thick clouds.

"I guess we'll have to wait to see everyone until after the storm." I mumbled, and he nodded silently. After a few seconds of watching the rain fall, my stomach growled, making Matthew jump.

"What is that?" He asked quickly, looking down at my stomach when it groaned again.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't have breakfast yet. I'm just hungry." I explained, and Matthew calmed down. He looked a little confused, but still very interested.

"You need food?" He asked, and I nodded and pulled off my still wet jacket.

"Are you hungry, too? I can make eggs." I suggested, but Matthew shook his head no.

"We do not get hungry." He admitted, and I looked at him in surprise.

"Really? That's… kind of cool." I gasped, and Matthew laughed and nodded. I led him down into the kitchen anyway, making scrambled eggs and bacon. Matthew was interested in the smell more than the food, and I tried to get him to taste it, but whenever he put some food in his mouth, he spat it back out with a disgusted expression.

"I don't get it, though. Food is energy, dude! How can you live without energy?" I interrogated him, deeply interested in this alien creature.

"We make our own energy. It is why we glow." He explained, but it only confused me further. I kept comparing him to plants, and he kept laughing at me, like I was the stupid foreigner here. I kept interrogating him about not eating and making 'his own energy', but whenever he answered a question, it just confused me further.

"What kind of alien are you?" I exclaimed, and he laughed more.

"I am not alien!" He countered, and I scoffed at his claim.

"You came from the sky! That makes you an alien!" I explained, wolfing down my eggs.

"You come from sky too! All come from sky." Matthew said, his smile still plastered on his face as he held out his arms like some sort of shaman.

"Pssh, I came from some lady's womb, I didn't come from a sky!" I snorted out, and Matthew frowned and gave me a concerned look.

"We all are from sky." He tried to persuade me, but I stuck to science and what I learned in school.

"Nope. I came from a woman." I said stubbornly, finishing off my bacon, then cleaning my dishes. Matthew just watched me with his head tilted to the side.

"Alfred." Matthew called out, and hearing my name in his voice made me shiver in delight. I frowned at the sensation, but I pushed it to the back of my mind and I turned to look at him.

"Yes?" I asked, and Matthew continued giving me that worried look like before.

"You are from sky." He insisted, and I was seriously curious as to why he was pushing this so much. I just stared at him blankly, though, and he crossed his arms slowly and kept his gaze, as if he were scolding a small child.

"Say it!" He demanded, and I frowned more and repeated him.

"I'm from the sky. Okay." I said, holding up both of my hands, along with an eyebrow, "Is everything from the sky? Animals too?"

"No." He said, smiling again, "Animals are Earth. Animals are here." I nodded to show I understood, but I really didn't. I still believed I'm from my mother's womb. After I had finished doing the house chores (vacuuming, mopping, dusting, etc.), Matthew started begging me to take him to go see the townsfolk. I told him no, but he kept begging anyway.

"Dude, come on, in the middle of a heavy storm? I'm even nervous going out to tend to my corn, man! There's no way in hell I'm going out on the road!" I tried to make him understand, but he just snorted at me and pouted again. God, I can't believe how much of a sucker I am for his pouts…

"Why don't we go tomorrow?" I suggested, and his pout gave way for a smile. He nodded excitedly, then turned back to playing with the television. It was all static, since I didn't have cable and the rain knocked out the signal, but he was interested nonetheless.

When it was a little after four, Matthew and I were sitting on the couch, me reading and Matthew was playing with the pillows.

"Alfred?" He called out, and I couldn't keep back the feeling of happiness of hearing my name being called. I pushed the thought away again, though, and I looked at him over the book.

"What's up?" I asked, and he looked at me with a worried look. He was holding onto the pillow tightly and it kind of looked like he was about to cry.

"If… bad people come… you will protect me?" He asked, and I quirked a brow, then closed the book I was reading. It was actually one of Arthur's, and I usually never enjoy his books, but I feel like if I read them, I would still be close to him when he came back.

"Why would bad people come after you? What would they do?" I asked, feeling my hero-complex starting to break through. I try my hardest to keep it hidden, but whenever someone might be in trouble, even if I don't like them, I always feel the need to throw myself in the middle and protect them. I usually just get into trouble, though.

Matthew shrugged at the question, looking down at the pillow instead and fingering the cloth, "Dad says people are greedy. He says that they will hurt me. He did not say why. He says that... on Earth… I can die." My eyes widened considerably, and I leaned towards him.

"Die? Like… _die_ die?" I asked, hoping he was just kidding around. He had told me his kind lived forever, and I still wonder what makes it different up there than from down here. Matthew nodded silently, and I shook my head and sat right beside him, wrapping my arms around his arms and hugging him tightly.

"I'll protect you! I'm the hero, after all!" I proclaimed, and Matthew gave me a relieved smile. He hugged me back and sighed into my shoulder, his rippling hair brushing against my cheek again.

"Thank you, Alfred. I will depend on you. I trust." He whispered, and I smiled softly and patted his back. Then, he gasped and got up, pulling away from my embrace and running towards the window, kneeling jutted out section that pillows and books decorated. He pressed his hands against the cold window, fogging the area around his palms, and he stared up at the sky.

"Alfred! Alfred, look! I see them!" He said happily, turning back to look at me and waving a hand at me. I raised a curious brow and went to his side, looking out the window to see the clouds dispersing and the stars beginning to shine through. Matthew begun laughing and he pointed at the twinkling lights in the sky, babbling again like an infant.

It took me a minute to realize he was actually talking about the stars. My eyes widened and I looked at him, seeing the patterns of the stars reflecting in his violet eyes and a few tears in the corners of his eyes glittering. He began crying, but it was a happy cry. He brought a hand to his face, covering his mouth and nose as he sobbed.

"Alfred… Alfred they are so beautiful…." He sobbed, beginning to shake, "They are so perfect!"

I was still staring at him, my Papa's words echoing throughout my head, over and over again.

_"Don't believe everything you're told, Alfred. Stars are beautiful and magnificent creatures."_

"They are…" I whispered, completely captivated by Matthews glowing pale skin and his illuminated, rippling hair. Even the tears that spilled from his eyes sparkled and shined.

"They're glorious…" I breathed, and Matthew turned to look at me, still crying. He tried wiping his eyes, but the tears wouldn't stop. He threw his arms around my neck again, hugging me tightly as he sobbed.

"They are all together, Alfred! They are all happy!" He sniffed, his tears wetting the sleeve of my shirt, "I am happy too, seeing them together. I am happy!"

I nodded silently, stroking his hair and feeling his energy excite the nerves in my palm. Matthew was shaking like a leaf, but he felt so warm against me. I hugged him tighter and continued stroking his hair, enjoying every minute I was in contact with him.

When he pulled away, he wiped his eyes again and looked back up at the sky, smiling beautifully, "I am happy, Alfred. It is so beautiful. It is what I needed."

I smiled more and nodded, still staring at his face. Then, he frowned and looked down, then looked at me.

"But… Alfred, I still feel… I still feel incomplete." Matthew whimpered, looking back up at the stars, at _his people_, and wearing the most pitiful and heart breaking expression. An expression of loneliness and longing. An expression that really got to my hero complex. I took his hand, making him look at me, and I gave him my most serious and stern expression.

"Don't worry about it, Matthew, I'll take care of you. I'll find what you're missing." I promised him, and he gave me a hopeful smile and nodded.

"I trust." He whispered, then leaned in and hugged me again, sighing a soft, slow sigh. I smiled more, my heart hammering against my chest.

'My Papa was right!' I thought, 'He was really, _really_ right! Stars are living things!'

I was so excited. I was so happy, I actually got to find and meet a star! Even after years of doubting him, years of calling him a liar, spitting his name in curses, I met a star!

And that was when the guilt settled in. As I sat there, holding Matthew in my arms and rubbing his arms and back which tingled and singed my fingers with an energetic delight, I realized the most terrible thing. Because of my lack of trust in him, because of those _stupid_ teachers, my Papa died!

I dropped my hands from Matthew, horror written on my face. Matthew looked at me with curiosity and worry. He cradled my face in his hands and stared into my eyes, his violets shimmering and sparkling as I reflected on what I had done.

"Alfred, what is mattering?" Matthew asked, glancing between both eyes and tucking his bangs behind his left ear, but they flowed back into place as graceful as hair could flow.

"It's…. It's nothing." I told him, not wanting to come apart at the seams in front of such a magnificent creature or bore him with the details of my not too pleasant life. "I just… I'm so amazed." I lied, forcing a smile and pressing a hand against his cheek, "I've been told so many things about stars, so many amazing and wonderful stories, but I thought… I didn't know…"

Matthew smiled again and put a hand over mine, staring into my eyes as we sat on the seat by imbedded in the wall beside the window, "Stories? I want to hear stories."

I smiled at this child-like behavior and I nodded, standing up and drawing the curtains. He watched me closely, waiting until I motioned for him to follow. He hopped up onto his feet and followed right behind me, into the kitchen. I began cooking myself some dinner, smiling more when Matthew began whining to hear the stories.

"Alright, alright. Let's see…. He told me a lot, dude. Which do you wanna hear first?" I asked, flipping the burger patties I had on the pan, inhaling their delicious scent. The thought of Papa's death had to be pushed back since I had to keep a happy face to keep Matthew from worrying. The last thing I wanted was to worry a star.

"What is there to choose from?" He asked me, and I sighed as I sifted through the stories in my mind.

"Let's see… He told me where they came from, why they're there, their culture, their families and how they communicate… but you know, he _always_ tried to describe their beauty. I always thought he was just exaggerating, but…" I stopped and looked at Matthew, who smiled and blushed, looking down and playing with his rippling hair.

"Tell me your favourite!" He begged, and I laughed and begun the story of how stars were made. It really was my favourite story. I'll write it down anyway. Let's see, I think Papa would begin it with…

_ The very first star was made even before time began. He, or she, was the one who created the universe, and was the one who created us. Why do I say 'he or she', you ask? Well, to be honest, no one knows what gender this first star was. Not even the oldest and wisest stars out there. I'll get to that in a minute, though, so be patient._

_ Anyway, this star held our universe close to their hearts, cherishing the child it had created and nourishing it with their life and very energy. However, this star had accidentally given too much power to one of her creations, and the universe they cared so deeply about shook and shivered, then burst with power and life and that was when time began. The original star had exuded too much energy within a particular spot in the universe, creating a second star. This star was grateful to their creator, much like the humans were grateful for the Earth they were blessed with._

_ The original star was wary of this second star, worried that this star may try and take power over the humans. Their worries were vanquished, however, when this second star sacrificed itself to live with one of the humans. The original star felt moved, crying sparkling, delicate tears that fell to the Earth and blessed Her with the power to evolve on Her own, raising animals and foliage and always shaking and melting and creating._

_ The original star wanted to see more, they wanted to spread more of this magnificence, and so they sacrificed their self to give birth to a multitude of stars, shattering their very own soul and energy in order to create these creatures. However, because of this awesome and powerful sacrifice, it rid the humans of the knowledge of their origin. The Earth grieved over the loss of Her creator and cursed the very grounds it wore, damning any star that lived on the ground, unable to bear the weight of these beautiful beings without the touch of Her God._

_ And that was how stars were made, and why they age and die when they come to Earth._

After dinner and the story, it became late, and I led Matthew upstairs and to the bedroom, tucking him in nice and tight. He smiled at me comfortable and wiggled to the left, pulling the sheets back for me to lay down. I laughed and asked if he was sure he didn't want the room to himself. He told me no and pulled me in, cuddling up against my side and sighing softly.

"Thank you, Alfred. I trust. Thank you." Matthew whispered as he fell asleep, snuggling into my side and breathing a soft breath that told me he was dreaming of something else.

When I knew he was in a deep sleep, I let out a slow sigh and fell back into my sorrow, reflecting and churning in the self-hate. I had killed my Papa. Because of me, he had a heart attack and died. He couldn't bear the idea of me hating him, and he died. I should've believed him in the first place. I really should've.

But then again, it could just be coincidence. He could've been making it all up.

I'm so confused right now.

Alfred F. Jones


	4. Entry 3

I asked Matthew if he would tell me some things about stars, and when I did, he started laughing at me.

"You already know, Alfred. You are from sky." He said, before going back to looking through picture books and running his fingers over the paintings hanging in the hallway.

The storm cleared up dramatically today, so I figured I had no choice but to bring Matthew into town. When I told him we would be going, he got so happy and he started babbling again and hugging me tightly. He tried to kiss me, but I let a four-hundred page book titled 'How to Succeed' block his face. He whined when he didn't kiss me and he looked so upset, so I kissed his forehead instead.

"We're going to go into town, but I'm going to lay down some rules first, okay, dude?" I told him, and he sat on the couch and gave me his full attention. He looked determined to follow these words, which made me feel pretty happy. It also gave me a little power-complex for a few minutes.

"First of all, you're gunna have to wear a beanie to keep your awesome hair hidden. People might flip, and I don't want that happening." I declared first, and Matthew shot his hands to his hair, flattening it against his skull and smiling happily. The tips of his hair still wiggled, though, and I laughed softly.

"Okay, next, I don't want you to run off somewhere I can't reach, hear, or see you." Matthew nodded obediently, dropping his hands from his hair and resting them on his knees, looking at me still with the concentrated look.

"Finally, I don't think you should talk to anyone. Your English isn't perfect, and I don't want you telling them strange things. Mostly if there are people out there who want to hurt you." I finished, and Matthew thought over them and nodded again, getting to his feet and smiling.

"We go now?" He asked me, taking my hand and looking into my eyes. I nodded, unable to turn away from his own sparkling violets, but he broke contact for me. He began running around the house, babbling happily and throwing his arms into the air in excitement.  
>I gave him a hat to wear, my USA beanie, and I forced him to wear socks and shoes, even though he didn't want to. I still don't understand why, and I never got around to asking him why, either.<p>

Anyway, we went to town. I actually had to make two trips, one on my bike alone so I could fill up on gasoline for my tractor. Since Matthew couldn't fit on my bike –and I really didn't want him to ride with me, anyway, because I fall a lot when it comes to sharp turns- he stayed home. When the tractor was up and running, I let him sit between my legs and I drove us down to town.

Everyone had already greeted me, so at first they didn't turn their heads toward the sound of my tractor. However, when we got off the tractor after parking beside the food store, Matthew began looking around and specifically looking at people. Some of the townsfolk seemed unnerved with the way Matthew stared into them, gasping and smiling and looking back at me in awe.

"There are so many here, Alfred! They do not look happy, though." Matthew noted, frowning a little when another woman turned away and frowned at the ground.

"Yeah, probably because you're freaking them out." I snorted, and Matthew gave me a confused look, then touched his face, just below his eyes. He looked a little upset, but I distracted him by showing him the grocery store. I needed more milk, anyway. I knew I should've bought a cow last season, but now it's too late. When we entered the store, the usual gruff, heavy man was replaced by a young, petite brunette girl with doll-like curls and a light sprinkle of freckles.

"Well, hello, Alfred!" She cooed, and I ignored her. Matthew looked from me to her, then raised a brow and begun looking around at the foods. He was silent, which was good. The girl at the counter smiled more, then ran her brown eyes over Matthew, examining his features.

"Bring a friend?" She asked, leaning on the counter with her elbows and propping up her chin daintily. I ignored her still and went to the cartons of milk, grabbing two and taking them over to the counter. Matthew saw me, then looked around quickly and snatched up a jug of orange juice, bringing it over with shivering arms. When he placed it on the counter, he huffed and looked up at me for approval. I raised a brow at the blond, and he gave a soft laugh.

"Heavy." Matthew mumbled, and I smiled and shook my head.

"I don't need orange juice, though." I pointed out, and he looked at me with a frown.

"Need." He said, pointing at the juice with a stubborn look. The girl behind the counter laughed softly, bagging the two cartons of milk, and waiting for me to decide whether or not she should bag the orange juice.

"What do you need it for? You don't drink it." I sighed, and Matthew crossed his arms, thinking about it. He looked over at the girl, then back at me, then he picked up the juice and pushed it against my chest.

"Scurvy?" He tried, and I laughed again, then patted his hat. Matthew brightened up and nodded excitedly, wrapping his arms around my own and watching as the girl bagged the drink.

"Will that be all, Alfred?" She asked politely, typing in the prices and interesting Matthew when the cash register popped open with a 'ding'. I didn't answer her and pulled the bags closer to me, taking one in each arm. Matthew looked upset that I didn't let him carry one, but he and I both knew he wouldn't make it back to the tractor. I handed over the money, and the girl snatched my wrist, almost making me drop the juice.

"Alfred, talk to me." She demanded, and I just stared at her hand, brows furrowed and a frown on my face. I could see Matthew through the corner of my eye and he looked pretty confused. He kept glancing between me and her, silent, but trying to understand. I saw something flicker in those purple eyes of his, then he reached forward and gracefully placed his hand upon hers, getting her attention and holding it with his hypnotic glittering irises.

Now it was my turn to glance between the two, and I glanced quickly. I had no clue what was going on, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. However, soon enough, she let go of my hand, and both me and Matthew retracted our own. I picked up the orange juice again, staring down at Matthew who was still staring at the girl. I nodded my head towards the door, and Matthew nodded and walked out, glancing over his shoulder to bid the girl behind the counter a final farewell before we exited.

When we were outside by the tractor, I stopped him and frowned, setting the juice and the milk on the seat.

"What was that, dude?" I questioned, and Matthew frowned and moved his hands behind his back.

"I do not talk, so I… silently command to release. You did not like her touch." Matthew explained, not making eye contact and looking nervous.

"How? She usually never lets go of me like that, Matthew. What did you do?" I continued to interrogate, and Matthew pouted and stomped his foot like a little kid being told off.

"I did not want you upset, Alfred!" He said, crossed his arms and looking up at me, "I just tell her to stop! That is all." Matthew promised, casting his eyes away, then his angry look vanishing as he stared at something behind me. I raised a brow at this and glanced over my shoulder, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. What I did see were those carpenter guys from two towns over adding a second floor to an old woman's pottery shop. That was where I bought most of my dishes, which would explain the flowery designs along the rim and the festive colours on a few. It wasn't like I had a lot of options, anyway.

"What's the matter?" I asked Matthew when I returned my gaze to him. His face had changed once more to a hard thinking one, his brows scrunched together and his eyes looking down at the ground. He looked a little upset, and a little frightened, too, which worried me.

"Hey, do you want to go back home?" I offered, getting his attention and a pair of wide violet eyes. Matthew blinked a few times, thinking over the question, then he smiled and shook his head no, grabbing my hand and pulling me across the street. He didn't look either way, but luckily our town wasn't frequently visited, and barely anyone drove cars here. The town was just small enough to walk everywhere, except for my farm of course. Hence the tractor.

I didn't ask him about what he saw, and I followed him quietly into the clothing store. All of the clothes were sewn by the owner's daughter, Rosie, who was reaching her forties. She was at her desk, behind her sewing machine, making what could probably be a one-sie for a child. She looked up at us and smiled, taking off her glasses.

"Alfred! It's been so long since I've seen you!" She cried wearily, getting her her feet and shuffling over to me and Matthew. She was rather large, but she was sweet and always smelled of cinnamon. She gave me a brief hug, then looked down at Matthew, who shuffled shyly behind me.

"Who is this cute boy?" She asked, and Matthew's reaction was perfect for a shy boy. His cheeks lit up and his eyes went down, but his lips twitched upward and he clung to my arm.

"I... He's my cousin. Distant. He's really shy." I introduced him, putting a hand on his head and patting him a few times, "His name is Matthew. Matthew, this is Rosie." Matthew hid his face in my shoulder, but he continued to smile.

"Oh, isn't he the cutest thing?" She babied him, putting her hands on her thighs and giggling.

"He'll be living with me for a while."

"Well, I'd love to see more of him." Rosie said, then she shuffled back to her sewing machine, "Go ahead and pick out some clothes for the boy, I'll give you fifty percent off."

"Rosie, are you sure?" I gaped. She always gave discounts, but not this high. Plus, her dad was quite tight-fisted, and he hated the idea of discounting things his daughter made. He thought it made them seem lower-quality compared to the stores three towns over. Nothing beats Rosie's clothes, though. They're always made of the softest and warmest materials.

"Positive. Now go take your cousin and pick out some clothes." She said with a smile, and I let Matthew look through the clothes. As we looked, he would pick out the strangest pieces of clothing. He even lifted a bra above his head with a smile.

"Alfred! Hat!" He cried, and I had to hide my blush from Rosie, who was laughing her head off.

"That's not a hat, Matthew, that's for girls." I quickly went over, snatching the bra from his hands and putting it back where it belongs.

"Oh... Can it be hat?" Matthew asked next, looking back at the tan bra as if he really wanted it.

"No. No it can't be." I said sternly, and Matthew pouted and followed me. I bought him a few jackets and shirts, and he insisted on shorts instead of jeans, so I got him some of those, too. He still didn't want any socks, however, and I decided to ask him about that later on.

When we chose some clothes, Rosie only accepted what she told us to pay, which honestly wasn't a lot. I tried giving her the actual amount, but she wouldn't let me. I slipped a twenty in the middle of one dollar bills, but when I looked through the pockets of Matthew's jacket later, I found she put the twenty back in when I wasn't looking.

On our way out, Matthew clung to my arm and smiled, looking happier than a kid with a lollipop dipped in chocolate.

"What're you smiling about, dude?" I teased, and he laughed a little.

"I like Earth. I do not know why it dangerous." He said, looking around with an excited eye, "I think want to stay here. I stay with you?"

"'Course you can stay with me." I said, and I meant it. At least, I meant it to an extent. I didn't want Arthur coming home and finding he had been replaced by a star. Even though stars had been a part of most of my childhood, Arthur was somewhat important to me, too. But let's not get into that right now.

"What is that there?" Matthew asked, pointing over to a few more stores, then running across the streets to examine them. I chuckled and chased after him, enjoying this little shopping spree we were having. After hitting almost every store, I found myself carrying three different bags, one filled with clothes, another with necklaces and bracelets, and the third filled with strange, smelly things you set on fire, as described by Matthew. Matthew liked the 'fire-smelly-sticks' the most.

"Hey, let's head back to the tractor and put this stuff away." I suggested, and Matthew spun around so he was walking towards the tractor.

"Okay!" He said happily, walking down the sidewalk. He stopped abruptly, however, staring into the store that sold seeds. He pressed his nose against the glass, squinting his eyes, then he pushed the door open and stepped in. I sighed and followed after him, readjusting my grip on all the bags. Matthew went straight to the flower seeds in the back, looking through them carefully, then pulling out one bag filled with Forget-Me-Not seeds. He looked at me, then the bag in his hand.

"They are pretty!" He said, and I smiled a little.

"Yeah, they are." I agreed, watching him look over the picture with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth.

"I want, Alfred." Matthew declared, looking up at me with the pleading eyes that got him pretty much everything else I was holding. I frowned a little, then took the package of Forget-Me-Nots and I looked over them, wondering if I had enough room for them. They were definitely in season, and they weren't particularly hard to grow. Not for me, anyway!

"I'm not sure." I mumbled, handing the package back to a pouting Matthew, "They don't bring in a profit, and some of them only last one season, dude."

"But I want!" Matthew tried again, holding the package out to me and sticking out his lower lip cutely.

"Yes, but you don't need it." I replied, getting a confused look from the boy.

"Need? Is not same?" He questioned, and I shook my head no.

"Need is when you can't live without it. For example, I need food. I need money to buy food. I need corn to make money to buy food. Want is when you can live without it. For example, You want Forget-Me-Nots, but they do nothing. They're just there to look at. They do... nothing." I said, a little coldly, but it got the point across.

Matthew pouted again, then looked at the picture, "Alfred..." He mumbled, and I raised a brow.

"Yes?"

"Do you not like flowers? They are pretty. Mother Nature made them for look at and enjoy." Matthew said, holding the bag out again and smiling at me. I frowned a little, then took the bag again and sighed. I looked over it, then noticed a small box on the back.  
>It read: "Forget-Me-Not flowers have the meaning, 'Remember Me Forever'. They are a romantic flower." I looked up at Matthew, who continued to smile at me, patiently waiting for my answer. I sighed softly, then I poked a finger against his chest.<p>

"I'll buy these for you."

"Yay!"

"If you promise to stay and help them grow." I added, and Matthew looked surprised. He thought over it, then smiled more and nodded, throwing his arms around my neck and hugging me tightly. I smiled a little, feeling the warmth radiating off of his body and into mine, then I grabbed a few more packages and bought them.

"Okay, now let's go back home so we can plant them." I said, and Matthew nodded excitedly.

"Okay! I will plant! They will grow!" Matthew cheered happily, hopping into my tractor and holding some of the bags on his lap. I got in too and began driving back to my farm house, having to go all the way down the street in order to turn around, since the shops are too close together to make a U-turn. On the way home, Matthew let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes, the wind blowing the hair sticking out from his beanie back.

"Alfred, why is Earth bad?" He questioned, keeping his eyes closed and looking peaceful. I couldn't help but stare. I was still mesmerized by the fact that he was a real, living and breathing star.

"I don't know. I don't know enough of your people to tell you..." I answered lamely, a little upset that I couldn't answer his question. Matthew opened his eyes, then he looked at me and smiled.

"Tell me story?" He asked, resting his head against my shoulder so he could hear me. He hugged the bags in his lap closer to his body.

"Oh, alright. What do you want to hear about?" I asked with a smile, and Matthew thought about it for a while before smiling wider.

"I want hear about stars are born-ing!" He begged, and I chuckled and nodded.

I told him the story, and I'll write it down just because.

This is how my Papa told it. A star is born when two stars find compatibility within one another. All stars are loving creatures, so compatibility is the deciding factor. Once two stars are deemed compatible, they slowly move closer to one another, and once they're able to touch each other, a grasp of a hand or a gentle kiss, a piece of them breaks off and joins together to create a new star. This new star does not glow immediately, but when created, it is given all of the intelligence and know-how that it's parents have. When the star begins to shine, that is when the star will go and seek it's own partner to be with. Stars can only be compatible with one other star, by the way. Once you find your partner, you stay with them. There is no such thing as someone who is more compatible than your original partner. Stars would not pair with another star that wasn't fully compatible with them, no matter how much they wanted to.

"That is sad story." Matthew mumbled, hopping off my tractor and carrying the light bags to the door of my farm house. I handled the heavy stuff and the clothes, and soon we were both inside. I begun putting the groceries away, making sure the milk hadn't spilled or warmed up too much on the drive home, and I responded with, "Well, it might not be entirely happy, but it's not sad, either. Wouldn't you rather know when you've found your partner rather than going through your whole life without one?"

"No." Matthew answered simply, sitting down at the table and watching me put the juice away. He was holding the Forget-Me-Not sees in his hands, "I think I would rather love many than love one."

I looked at him from over the refrigerator door, "Well... is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"Is it true that stars can only be with who they're compatible with?" I elaborated, and Matthew looked eyes rolled upwards and he thought about it, then his brows scrunched together and he pulled off his hat. His hair flowed back into place, and I felt a little jealous that he didn't have hat hair. At all.

"Well, is true that we have companions, but... We do not marry when wish... I am not sure if is tell-able with little words..." Matthew mumbled, wringing his hands together. I frowned at this, automatically realizing he was asking for another kiss. I still didn't understand how kissing allowed this guy to talk better, but I wanted to know the truth about stars. I sat down in front of him, taking the Forget-Me-not seeds out of his hands and placing them on the table.

"Just for a second, though. A light kiss." I demanded, and Matthew nodded quickly and smiled. I leaned in slowly, and Matthew matched the distance I moved in half the time, linking our lips immediately. I yelped and tugged away, getting a soft whine from the blond.

"Wait, I don't have enough yet..." He whimpered, and I turned red and shook my head. Matthew huffed, then he wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me close. I have to admit, I was quite... captivated by his eyes. They were half-lidded and glowing and holding my attention. He moved his head a little closer, his hands holding my own head in place as our lips lightly brushed. I tried to pull away, but he held me still and added the pressure.

I tried breathing normally, but it was hard to. I was panicking, actually. I've never kissed a guy before, and from what I saw growing up, it wasn't something that happened often.

In fact, I wasn't even sure if it was something that should happen at all. Arthur never preached about God or religion, but the rest of the townsfolk did. I remember hearing one day when I was younger about how gay marriage was about to be passed, and so many people in my town seemed so angry about this. Arthur was indifferent, and I never asked him his views. When he comes back, I'll be sure to do that.

After a few seconds of having our lips pressed against each other, I felt his tongue flit across my lower lip, sending a brief shiver up my spine. I tried to pull away, but he held me there and he stroked my lip again. When I didn't respond, Matthew whined softly and tried again, gently coaxing me to open my mouth for him. He moved quickly, his tongue pressing into my mouth and running along my teeth. I tried flinching back again, but he held me still with a tight grip. He pulled away for a brief second, both of us sucking in air as fast as we could, and him gasping out, "Kiss me back, Alfred..."

"Why?" I questioned, but he didn't answer me. He put his thumb on my chin and kissed me again, and I hadn't been any used to it now than I had been the first time. I was still nervous after a few seconds, but I was able to place shaky hands on Matthew's thighs and return the kiss. I didn't really know what to do with my tongue, so I brushed it against Matthew's, making him gasp softly and shiver under my hands. He pulled away from me after, and I thought I had done something wrong, but he rewarded me with a smile.

"Thank you, Alfred. I think I have enough vocabulary now." He said, his voice a little more mature sounding and smooth than before. IT was almost like he had gone through puberty while we kissed, and it made me feel a bit more nervous. I moved my hands away from him and licked my lips briefly before asking him the previous question, "So... is it true?"

"Yes, it is, to an extent. Like I said before, we have pre-decided companions. In fact, we know these companions since birth, and we are most compatible together than with any other of our kind, but we don't 'marry' or 'mate' on command. Both partners must be at the same level of content with their lives in order to become one. If one partner feels uneasy or is curious about life, they cannot join with their mate. Once both partners are ready to accept their fate in the sky, the two partners join together. Literally."

"Literally?" I repeated, and Matthew nodded.

"They literally become one. I suppose it's like... having sex for the first and last time of your entire life. Once you join with your partner, your souls crumble and mesh together, scattering a multitude of new stars across the galaxy."

"And you know your partner since birth, right?" I clarified, and Matthew nodded again, "So, at the time two stars join together, another two will become one at the same time? And then they make your soul mate?"

"Sometimes. In most cases, your companion will have also been birthed from the same parents as you. It doesn't matter, though. We love everyone and everything with equality. We simply mate with only one." Matthew finished, and I stared at him in interest.

"That... That is sad..." I mumbled, and Matthew laughed softly, "So, do you know who you're going to mate with?"

"Yes, I do." Matthew answered, casting his eyes down and rubbing his hands together.

"What's she like? Is she pretty?" I prodded, smiling wide when Matthew laughed.

"My companion isn't a woman, Alfred." Matthew mumbled, and my smile dropped, "My comapnion is a man. It happens. It's a part of nature."

"What? But... but that's not normal!" I debated, and Matthew shook his head.

"It's very normal. A lot of us are companions with another member of the same sex. It happens just as often as a heterosexual partnership." Matthew explained, and I shook my head too.

"But everyone here-"

"Everyone here, Alfred, forgot where they truly came from. They lost their love. Don't lose your love, Alfred. I don't want to see you turn into them. I don't want you to be them." Matthew pleaded with sad eyes but a strict voice, "Though, even if they had lost their love, I still cannot comprehend the reason behind the dangers of Earth..."

I let out a slow sigh, unable to keep up with his conversations with the thought that gay relationships were actually normal. Like I said before, I wasn't entirely sure what was okay or not when it came to love. Everyone in my town was against it, so it seemed, but Arthur never really lectured me on the subject. I wish he had... Maybe he will when he comes back.

I snapped back to attention when Matthew placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Alfred, do you love someone?" He asked me with a smile, and I frowned and though about it.

"How do you mean?" I asked in return, and Matthew laughed.

"Like... when you think of someone, you feel this bubble of excitement and adoration and interest in them. Like you just want to get to know them better and better each time." Matthew explained, putting his hands over his heart. I stared at him for a little while, then I looked away and rested my head against the table we were sitting at. I ran through the short list of people I knew, including both men and women, but I couldn't think of any.

"I loved my Papa, but that was more of a father-son love." I muttered honsetly, and Matthew smiled a warm smile.

"Papa..." He whispered, "I had a papa... I had two, in fact... "

"Yes, I remember... W-wait a minute..."

"Hmm?"

"Didn't you say that you saw your Dad before? Like... thousands of years ago?"

"Yes."

"So, how were you born, then?"

Matthew blinked at me. His smile was gone, and he had this strange look in his eyes. I couldn't tell if he was angry or sad or confused, but he continued to stare at me like this for a long time. He tilted his head, then, and his eyes went down.

"Alfred... He isn't my real Dad. We watch our parents die." He mumbled, and I understood why he gave me that look. I swallowed hard, then lifted my head.

"I'm sorry..." I mumbled, and Matthew shook his head.

"Don't be. It's life, sadly. Dad and Papa, they took me in. We always look out for each other, you see." I nodded slowly, then rubbed my hands together. I didn't want to touch any more sensitive subjects, so I changed topics.

"Why don't we go plant those Forget-Me-Nots, then...?" I suggested, and Matthew's energetic smile came back. He hopped off his chair and scooped up the various packeges of Forget-Me-Nots, then my hand, and he pulled me out of my chair and out into the backyard before I could complain. When we stumbled out, he looked around and hummed.

"Where, Alfred?" He asked me, smiling excitedly as he waited for my answer. I sighed softly and looked around, then remembered the gigating gaping hole he made in my corn. It saved us time, mostly because the soil had already been turned by Matthew's impact. I took Matthew's hand and led him through the cornstalks, bringing him to the large hole. It filled up a little from the rain and mud, and a few more of my cornstalks fell, but I didn't mind so much anymore. I led him to the middle, testing it out with my feet before deciding it was stable enough.

"Let's plant them here. I'm sure we have enough to cover it all." I said, and Matthew nodded and dropped to his knees. I did too beside him, and I taught him how to dig small holes for the seeds. As we were digging, I glanced over at Matthew to see him working up a sweat. He looked quite good like this, and I started wondering more about him. What was life like up there? What was growing up like up there? Did he like it?  
>I realized I was staring at him and I turned away, digging more. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Matthew glance at me and smile.<p>

"Alfred, what next?" He asked me, putting a dirt-covered hand on my shoulder to get my attention. I turned to him, then looked down at the holes and smiled.

"Here, hold out your hand." I said, and Matthew nodded and cupped his hand before him. I took one of the packages and tore it open, taking his outstretched hand in my own. As I sprinkled the seeds into his palm, I felt him staring at me, and I looked up to meet his gaze. His eyes were so magnificent, and his smile was so sweet and care-free... I started feeling a little warm, but I wasn't sure if it was from his hand or my thoughts. I turned away again, noticing all the seeds were in his palm before I let go of him.

"Now, take a few seeds and put them in each hole." I instructed, and Matthew nodded and followed my directions. When he was done, I took his hands in my own once again and showed him how to create a small mound over the seed, keeping it safe. When we were patting the earth down, Matthew looked up at me again and smiled.

"Alfred..."

"Yeah?" I asked him, looking up into his violet eyes once more.

"I'm excited." he giggled, and I smiled too.

"Yeah? Can't wait to see them grow, huh? It'll take some time, and you'll have to come out and water them every day."

"I will!" He promised, sitting up straight with excitement, "I will. Every day! They will grow and stay forever!"  
>I laughed and shook my head, "Flowers aren't permanent, Matthew. Nothing is. They'll die eventually. Probably next season, in fact..." I muttered, and Matthew deflated a little.<p>

"Oh... well... They will live for a long time!" Matthew tried again, and I sighed and nodded.

"Sure. They'll stay for as long as you stay." I said, and Matthew smiled more and he wrapped his arms around me in a hug.

"I love you Alfred." He mumbled, and I felt my face heat up.

"D-dude..." I mumbled, and Matthew frowned and pulled away to look at me, "Um... we only say that to family and lovers and stuff..."

"I don't. We love everything, remember? I love you Alfred. I love you like I love these flowers." He clarified, and I nodded to show my understanding.

"Okay... then... I love you too...?" I tried, and Matthew giggled and nodded.

"Good. Love is good." He said, keeping his arms around me and smiling.

Matthew is sleeping now, and I can't get those questions off of my mind. What was life like up there in the sky? Did he like it? Does he love his companion like he loves me, or more?

In fact, I started wondering a new question. I'm wondering if it's possible that he loves me more than he does those flowers...

I think I might have been happier if he said he did. If he woke up right now and told me he loved me more than usual. I also think I like kissing him. But, his vocabulary is practically perfect, now, so I guess we won't be doing any more of that, either.

Now that I think about it, I guess you could say I'm in love with Matthew, but only because he's a star. Sure, I'm interested in him, but I'm only interested in his culture and life-style. I want to know the truth about him and the rest of his race. I want to know why he keeps thinking we're the same kind of creature, too. He's much more magnificent. He's much more interesting.

If this is love, then I don't get why people are so against it. It's just learning, after all.

Alfred F. Jones


	5. Entry 4

This chapter was kind of short, so sorry, guys D: The next one will probably be a little longer! :D

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><p>It's been a while since I've written. A month, I think. Matthew is still here, which is good, but I've been feeling a little... strange about him being here. It's not that he's annoying or anything, or getting into trouble, it's just... I don't know.<p>

First of all, he's kind of upset. His Forget-Me-Nots aren't growing as quickly as he wanted to. I offered to help, but he said he wanted to do it himself. He got so excited when the first few seedlings appeared, and he kept telling me every little detail about them. It was sort of cute, kind of like how a child describes a trip they took, but they add all of this unnecessary detail. If I remember correctly, Matthew's descriptions were usually something like...

"Alfred, Alfred, the babies are growing! They're so magnificent and green! But I am worried, I saw a strange bug the other day, and he was eating the leaf. I told the bug to go away, but it wouldn't listen, Alfred! I don't know what to do, the creature seemed so hungry!"

I learned later on it was just a ladybird, and it wasn't even eating the leaf. I had to explain to him the different types of bugs, and which ones helped the plants grow. He seemed so confused, but he understood it eventually. I think, though, he didn't realize bugs only helped plants grow, because one night he snuck a large, fat caterpillar into my bed, placing it on my face for me to wake up.

I freaked out, of course, and Matthew got hurt because he thought I was angry at him, even though I kind of was. I tried to make him apologize, but he just wouldn't budge. I never thought a star could -or would- be so stubborn, but he definitely wasn't moving. He told me I should apologize instead, for not accepting his gift to help me grow. When I realized that was what it was all about, I laughed. Matthew was surprised to see me laugh, but he laughed too, and he became really happy. He hugged me afterwards, among other things, and he said that he wanted me to grow into a beautiful and free star like he was. I just agreed with him, even though I know I'm not a star.

But his mood became worse and worse as the days went by, and his flowers had yet to bloom. I told him it would take a while, mostly because they were his first plant, and it seemed to console him for a little while, but it wasn't enough. He would just sit by the window facing the corn fields with this frown and these saddened eyes, and I knew I had to do something to cheer him up.

"Hey, Mattie..." I called out one day, getting his somewhat hazy attention, "Did you know that flowers don't breathe oxygen?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah, unlike humans, flowers breath carbon dioxide, and they exhale oxygen for us." I explained, sitting beside him, against the wall by the window. He looked down at me with a confused expression, so I had to explain what I was trying to say.

"Do you breathe oxygen, Mattie?" I questioned, and Matthew looked surprised. He brought a hand up to his lips and huffed a few times before he turned back to me and nodded.

"I do. I breathe oxygen, too." He said with a light, but not entirely happy tone.

"Well, they say if you talk to the flowers and breathe on them and stuff, they'll be well-fed and grow faster." I informed, and Matthew got this sparkle in his eye that I realized I had been missing ever since he became down.

"Really?" He gasped, and I nodded as an answer. The corners of his lips pulled upwards, then he hopped off his chair and bolted outside, finding his way through my corn and towards his circular patch of seedlings. When he arrived, he laid down on his stomach right along the edge, and he began talking to them. I had followed him outside to hear what he would say.

At first it started out as soft, sweet babble, kind of like when you meet someone for the first time and don't really know what to say. It was a little childish, but cute nonetheless.

"Hello, seedling one!" He would greet happily, then turn to the next one, "And hello, seedling two! Oh, I should name you all! Wouldn't that be brilliant? How many are there? One, two, three, four..."

As he counted, I sat down beside him in the dirt, looking down at his rather thin body. After living with him for some time, I realized two things. One, was that there was one piece of hair that he had in his never-ending sea of curls that stuck out. It still flowed a little, but it just wouldn't stay with the rest of him. It had just started growing, actually. I noticed it after we planted the Forget-Me-Nots. He didn't seem to notice or care.

The second thing I noticed was how different his body was compared to mine. I know he had originally stolen my own body, but after we had gone to the town a few times, I think he realized humans have different body structures. The more we visited the town, the more original he became. He slimmed down a lot, mostly around his tummy. He was pretty skinny now, and I felt a little jealous. It's not that I'm overweight or unhealthy or anything, I just have a somewhat thick layer of puppy fat that seems to enjoy the space around my gut. I don't really understand it, I mean, I plow the farm and harvest and walk pretty much every day, and I'm still chubby.

Must be that Cap'n Crunch...

Back to Matthew, he slimmed down so much, he started looking quite... appealing in the shorts we bought him. His legs were magnificent and flawless, and on more than one occasion, I found myself wishing to touch them. Once again, Matthew didn't seem to notice or care. I thought I was being foolish at first. Who would ever want to look at someone like that, anyway? Mostly someone of the same gender...

But then I remembered that lecture Matthew gave me about homosexual relationships being perfectly normal and a part of life. I had to rethink my morals.

Before I forget, I had asked Matthew about that sock issue he has. The one where he just refuses to wear such things. He seemed confused at first, like always, then he gave me this long "oooooooh..." while he nodded.

"I don't want to wear them." He told me before turning back to watering his Forget-Me-Nots.

"Yeah, I know that. What I'm asking is, why? I mean, you wear shoes when we go to town. It's like the same thing." I said with a shrug, and Matthew laughed.

"Shoes protect my feet. Socks simply encase them." Matthew explained with this 'I-know-more-than-you-do' voice.

"I still don't get why you don't wear them." I mumbled, and he put down his watering can and faced me.

"Your body is sacred, Alfred." He said, shocking me to a whole new level of confusion and slight embarrassment, "Every living creature is." He added, calming me down immensely.

"I wear clothing because it protects my body from the harsh sun and the strong winds, and also because the beings on Earth are shy of their and other people's figures. I wear shoes to protect my feet from these roads and cement you have laid upon your mother. I will not wear socks, however, because instead of protecting my feet like shoes have, they simply wrap around me uselessly, trapping all of my energy inside of me. It's good to give energy back to the Earth, Alfred."

I stared at him, even more confused than before. He just smiled back at me before turning back to his flowers.

"So... you don't wear socks because they make your feet warm?" I attempted, and Matthew slumped over a little, obviously upset that I didn't understand him. He looked at me again and smiled, and I felt a little ashamed that I couldn't follow him. He put a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

"I think you will understand one day." He said before turning towards the house and walking back with the watering can. I watched him go, then I turned back to the Forget-Me-Nots and sighed. I hated how he made me feel stupid, even though he's the visitor here. But, to be honest, I kind of liked having him try to teach me about all of that stuff. Even if it barely made sense.

Not too long ago, though, his mood went south again. His Forget-Me-Nots still haven't bloomed, and he's starting to lose hope. He's still acting this way, too.

Right now, he's outside in the field, laying right next to his flowers and just staring at them. I've never seen anyone this depressed before.  
>I decided to try and do something about it a week ago, and I tried adding nourishment to the soil the flowers had been planted in, but they still didn't bloom. I tried adding minerals and fertilizer and even some fish I had planned on making that night. I heard about the fish thing from a young girl from town. She said the pilgrims were taught it by the Indians or whatever.<p>

But still, nothing worked. So instead, yesterday, I went into town while Matthew was outside, and I got him a large bouquet of Forget-Me-Nots. You should have seen the botanist's face when I told her it was for the boy who was living with me. After I got the bouquet, I decided to hold off on giving it to him until he was outside like this. Alright, I'm going to give him the flowers. I'll write his reaction later...

Okay...

So, something weird happened...

I'm not too sure if it's a good or a bad thing, but...

Um.

I gave the flowers to Matthew, and the first thing he did was cry. I thought for a minute, "Oh, crap, I did something wrong, didn't I?"

Before I could apologize, however, he threw his arms around me and kissed me again. It wasn't like that 'I'm trying to learn English' kiss, though. It was a deep, passionate, and somewhat wet kiss. When he pulled away from me, he still wouldn't stop crying, and he took the bouquet and held it to his chest.

"I'm... sorry?" I attempted, and he laughed at me between sobs. He shook his head, still cradling the flowers, and he said:

"Don't be sorry. I love it. Thank you so, so much..."

I nodded, and he smiled more.

"These are so beautiful, Alfred. These are Forget-Me-Nots?" He asked, and I nodded. He smiled more and took in a deep breath of their fragrance, then he took my hand and squeezed it a few times, "I am so happy."

"Good... I'm glad..." I mumbled, and he laughed more. He led me back into the house, and I showed him how to keep clipped flowers alive by submerging the stems in water. I added a little nourishment to the water and mixed it around. Matthew paid attention the entire time, staring into the glass vase with interest.

"Alfred?" He called out as I slipped the flowers into the water, fluffing them up a bit so they looked lively and beautiful.

"Yeah, what is it?" I replied, and he turned his attention to me instead of the vase.

"I love you so much." He said with a smile, and I felt a tingle buzz through my fingertips and my cheeks.

"I love you too. Like I love the flowers, right?" I said, and he smiled a little, then shook his head.

"No, I love you a lot." He said, and that tingle turned into a gentle hum. My cheeks felt a little warm.

"... Like you love-"

"Nothing. I don't love anything as much as I love you right now." He interrupted me, and I had to turn my head away from him to hide the growing blush.

"Don't say that... We don't say things like that down here..."

"Doesn't mean you can't start." He pointed out, and I glanced at him from over my shoulder.

"Where do you want these?" I changed the topic, lifting up the vase of flowers for him to instruct me. He stared at me silently for a minute, then he walked up the stairs, beckoning for me to follow him, which I did. He brought me to my bedroom where we both slept, and he made me put the flowers on the nightstand closest to him. After I put the flowers down, I turned towards Matthew, who was smiling this huge, heartfelt smile, and I felt this strange thumping in my chest. I knew it was my heart, but I didn't want to admit it at first. Not until Matthew looked back at me and smiled even wider.

"Alfred, I'm so happy. You made me happy. I want to make you happy too." He said, and I realized what was happening. Matthew did nothing but talk, and it somehow flicked every switch I had. I put a hand on his cheek, and he smiled more and tilted his head into my palm, holding it there with his own warm hand. I started touching more of him. His lips, that were similar to mine, but a little bigger along the bottom. His cheeks that became hollower than before. His chin that was slightly pointier, slightly smaller than my own. He had really become a beautiful person, Matthew...

He enjoyed every caress, every rub. He breathed lightly against my fingers, eyes falling halfway. My hand went lower, fingertips following a small, pulsing vein on his neck.

"Alfred..." He breathed, and I lost it. I coaxed him onto the bed, laying him down on his back and running my hands up his Necco Wafers shirt, bunching it around his armpits so I could kiss and rub his chest. He shivered beneath me, panting for me to continue, which I gladly did. We stripped each other of our clothing, mouths meeting every once in a while to mingle, tongue flirting with one another.

When we were both bare, I began my search all over him, hands running and tongue skirting. Sometimes I would nibble, too, getting light giggles from the boy beneath me.

I got a little hasty, though, and I started sucking him off. He whined and moaned and twitched upwards, wanting more, but unsure if this was okay.

"Al... Alfred... what are you doing to me...?" He panted, his fingers tangling in my hair as I begun to bob my head. I pulled away from him only to reply with a soft, "I'm making you feel good. I'm making us feel good..."

And Matthew let me make him feel good. He whined softly when I entered him, of course, but I knew it hurt. He was good about it, though, and soon enough, I was rocking in and out of him, awarded with moans and grunts that mimicked my own. His nails dug into my back the faster we got and my mouth joined with his, our breaths combining into one hot, passionate steam. Every part of him, inside and out, was becoming a part of me, and vice versa.  
>His arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer to him, and I moved my arms around his waist, pulling his body flush against mine. Our lips parted so we could gasp in each other's ears, his voice quivering in delight as he panted out, "It's too good, Alfred... It's too good..."<p>

I stroked his hair slowly, hips still moving, and I kissed his forehead gently. He whined softly, head tilting upwards, begging me for another lip-to-lip connection. He was so beautiful like this, sweaty, pleasured, needy... I couldn't help myself, and I indulged in him. I kissed him once more, but it was only for a second. We were lacking oxygen, and so our lips hovered over each others and we panted against one another, moans being greedily absorbed.

His cries grew louder, and the only thing I could think was, 'not yet. I don't want to finish just yet.' I felt it too, though, rising in the base of my abdomen. My grip tightened in his hair and his chest pressed against mine, thin legs pulling my hips close as I worked him. He whined in my ear, nails digging into my back as he finished, pulling me with him into the climax of our intercourse.

After coming down from the numbing high, I pulled out of him and collapsed beside him, the both of us panting in unison for our breaths. He fell asleep almost instantly, and I was left to look over him. I noticed that curl, it seemed to have grown. It kind of looked like a tall 'J' hugging his cheek, and I tried to brush it away. It wouldn't stay, though, so I left it there.

God, this was so explicit... I should probably tear out this page and burn it... I don't want Arthur reading this. Hell no.  
>You know how I said I was a decent man a few pages back? Well, strike that out of ways to describe me. I'm nothing but a monster. I slept with a star. I actually fornicated with a star, a creature that I thought of as a higher being! A creature my grandfather, my Papa, preached so heartily about, as if he were in love with them! I ruined a star!<p>

But... my God... He's just so beautiful...

I mean... looking at him now... I... I just want to kiss him over and over...

Is this love, though? Or is it just lust? I really can't tell right now.

Whatever this is, I think I

oh fuck the power went out. I think another storm is brewing. Yeah I hear the rain. I bet this line is going to be all sideways. I guess I'll go to sleep now. Mattie looks peaceful, and he's kind of like a night light. A warm night light... His lips still taste so nice...

Alfred F Jones


	6. Entry 5

Ch. 5  
>psychokittenterror: THANK YOU. THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU. T.H.A.N.K.Y.O.U. I'll refer to your gift when I get to it in the story. Everyone! Everyone, if I may have your attention! Ahem, please do leave a review thanking Ms.Mr. psychokittenterror (though I'm assuming you're a Ms., since most people on this site are...) and telling him/her that he/she is AWESOME.

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><p>I woke up to knocking on the front door. Matthew was still peacefully sleeping, so I quietly got up and tugged on some pants before sneaking downstairs. When I got to the front door, I yawned and looked through the whatever the fuck those little hole things in your doors are. When I looked out, I saw a man with snow-white hair and a mean face standing there, and I immediately felt a little nervous. Not like I'd ever admit it to anyone, of course.<p>

Anyway, I opened the door, but not all the way. The man looked down at me and I looked up at him. He was only a little taller than I, but it still made me feel a little weaker. I'm pretty sure I could've beat him up, though, I mean, my job/life is pretty much one long workout. After a few seconds of silence, I finally greeted him.

"...Sup?" I muttered, and his face cringed a little as if he smelt something foul.

"... 'Sup'...?" He repeated, and I frowned and rubbed the back of my neck.

"It's like... What's up?" I tried, but his look of confusion didn't change. He had an insanely deep voice, but it still kind of sounded soft and childish.

"Like 'Hello'?" He questioned, and I nodded in response, "I see... What is up to you too..."

"Huh? No, no, you wouldn't say that." I frowned, then realized I was teaching him like I would Matthew, "Um, nevermind, forget about it. So... What do you need here? Are you lost or something?"

He shook his head, then looked over my head and into my house, "I am looking."

"For...?" I questioned, and he looked back down at me. He lifted his hands to his head, brushing his fingers through his hair.

"He is blond," He said, still ruffling his hair, "and small. He glows." I frowned more, then leaned against the door, keeping it as closed as possible without slamming it in the man's face.

"Sorry, I don't know who you're talking about." I lied, and the man frowned. He stared at me for a while, and I stared back, then he crossed his arms.

"You do." He said, "You know him." I shook my head no, but he wouldn't take no for an answer.

"I want to see him." He told me, and I shook my head no again.

"I seriously have no clue who you're talking about, dude."

"You do. You were with him in the town. I saw." The man claimed, narrowing his purple-ish eyes. They looked a little like Matthew's but they didn't seem to swim with the same emotions. I frowned more, then I narrowed my eyes in return.

"Okay, so maybe I do know him. What do you want with him?" I questioned, and the man seemed to calm down a little.

"I want to talk to him. I need to see him." He requested, and I looked over him again. He was really pale, and his hair was a silvery-white, but more white than silvery. He wore a long, eggshell scarf and a huge grey trench coat that I recognized almost immediately from the tailor shop in town. He didn't wear shoes, which I thought was kind of funny.

"What happened to your shoes?" I questioned, and the man looked down at his feet.

"I have no money." He told me, then regained eye contact, "I could only afford the jacket and pants."

"And the scarf?" I asked, but the man shook his head no.

"This is my father's. He gave it to me. I need to see him." He said, reminding me of the situation at hand.

"Look, dude, I know who you're talking about, but I don't know where he is." I lied again, crossing my arms and nodding.

"I do not believe you." He all but growled, and I was taken by surprise at the viciousness in his voice. I immediately knew there was something wrong, and I didn't want this guy near Matthew at all.

Then, as if to screw us both over, Matthew came trotting down the stairs, coming into view over my shoulder. I could tell, from two different things. First, the man in front of me, his eyes became wide and this little look of hope and excitement grew in his eyes. The second thing that let me know Matthew was behind me was his voice.

"Alfred, my hips hurt! I think you injured me a little!" He whined softly, and I turned to look over my shoulder at the groggy-looking babe behind me, rubbing his right eye with his fist and his back with his other hand. Matthew was standing there naked, and as much as I was starting to enjoy it, I didn't want that freak in my doorway see Mattie like that.

"Go upstairs and get dressed!" I demanded lightly, and Matthew gave me a confused look before he peered over my shoulder. His eyes widened when he saw the albino-looking guy behind me, and the guy stepped forward and shoved me out of the way.  
>"Matthew!" He gasped, and Matthew spun around and bolted upstairs. I recovered quickly from being shoved against the wall, and I quickly grabbed the man's shoulder, shoving him away from the staircase.<p>

"Hey! You're in my house!You can't just shove into someone's house!" I yelled, and the man glared at me.

"Do not tell me what I can and cannot do!" He yelled back, shoving me back again and seriously pissing me off. Before I could actually do anything about it, though, Matthew called out to me from the staircase railing.

"Alfred! Don't!" He pleaded, "Please, please leave!"  
>I spun around to look at Matthew in shock, "You want me to leave?"<p>

"No! I want him to leave!" Matthew huffed, nodding his head towards the pale man in my doorway. The man growled a little, then grabbed my shoulder and shoved me back before pointing a threatening finger at Matthew.

"I will talk to you later then! And we both know what about!" He claimed, then turned and left, stomping his way down my pathway and onto the road. When he was gone, I closed the door and turned to look at Matthew, who was sitting naked on my staircase. He was frowning and he looked nervous, so I went to him and rubbed his arm.

"Hey, do you know him?" I asked, and Matthew nodded immediately, then frowned more and shook his head.

"He is bad, Alfred. He wants to take me away. He will kill me." Matthew hissed, clutching onto my biceps and pulling me closer, "I don't want to die yet. I'm not happy yet." I was surprised to hear this, and I felt my protective and heroic side bursting out from it's cage deep in the back of my mind. I know that I usually get people hurt when I act like a hero, but when it was Matthew, trembling so weakly and on the edge of tears, I just had to.

"Hey, I'll protect you! I'll never let anything hurt you!" I said with a smile, and Matthew looked up at me with hopeful eyes.

"You will?" He questioned, moving his hands up my shoulders and linking his fingers behind my neck. I nodded and leaned in closer to him, pressing our foreheads together.

"Of course, Matthew... I mean, you promised you would stay until those Forget-Me-Nots grew, and..."

"And...?" He coaxed with a soft, slow purr. I smiled a little, putting my hands on the wooden steps he sat on, right beside his thighs.

"Well... I don't really want you to leave either..." I muttered, tilted my head slightly to the left, and Matthew tilted his too, glancing down at my lips, then up into my eyes. He smiled a cute, shy smile, and we kissed on the staircase, letting our teeth scrape lightly and our tongues caress.

Damnit why do I have to write everything we do so detailed? It just keeps replaying in my head until I want to do it again and again... Do you see what he's doing to me? I swear, I never knew I could feel so in love/lust with someone I barely met a month ago. But, God, do I love it...

Anyway, after our kiss, Matthew smiled at me and got up.

"I'm staying with you, Alfred. I'll stay with you forever." He told me as he walked up the steps, leaving me crouched down on my own step, staring up after him.

"Oh? Why would you stay?" I asked, enjoying the sight I had of his ass as he walked away. When he was gone, I sighed softly and listened to his light-hearted response.

"Because I love you." He said, and I smiled more.

"Like nothing else, right?" I asked, and I heard his laugh echo through the house. I smiled more, then got up, "I'll be outside, Matthew."

"Alright!" He replied, and I walked down the wooden steps and out into the backyard, noticing the sky was still pretty dark from the storm clouds that were slowly dissipating. The rain then was light, more like a mist, really, so I walked out to my corn to make sure no lightning struck my fields. After making sure my crops were still alive, I walked through them, towards Matthew's circle of Forget-Me-Nots. I saw Matthew there already, laying on his stomach and smiling at the little seedlings. I sat on the opposite side of the circle, and he looked up at me and smiled more.

"Are they growing?" I asked, worried that Matthew would become depressed again. He shook his head no, but his smile still stayed.

"But that's okay. I'm in no rush to leave." He said, resting his cheek on his arms and looking down at the flowers. He fingered one of the green seedlings, brushing against the small leaf delicately. I watched him silently, my thoughts still consumed by that pale, white haired man.

"Hey, so... that man wanted to kill you?" I asked, and Matthew's smile wavered slightly before he looked up at me.

"Yeah. He wants me dead." Matthew mumbled, crossing his arms under his cheek and looking up at me with his violet eyes.

"Why does he want that?" I asked, and Matthew turned his eyes back towards his seedlings as he thought. When he seemed satisfied with an answer, his ever-happy violet eyes finally turned sad, the colors flowing slower than usual.

"He's a bad man, I guess... One of the bad men Dad told me about." Matthew muttered, and I felt my heart skip a beat at the thought of someone coming to try and take my Matthew away.

"Why would they want you dead, though? Is there something wrong with having stars on Earth?" I questioned softly, and Matthew shook his head no.

"Of course not! You're a star, but you haven't been hunted down!" Matthew pointed out, and I felt myself roll my eyes. When I realized I had done so, I regained eye contact with what looked like a very shocked and angry Matthew.

"You are a star, Alfred." He said, giving me a warning look as he turned his head slightly to the right, still keeping eye contact. I nodded quickly, not wanting to piss him off at all.

"I know, I know. It's just... It's taking me a while to remember. I'm so used to being human." I lied, and Matthew seemed pleased by this answer. His eyes turned lighter, but they were still sad, and he turned back to his seedlings. He began telling them a story of star-kind, still determined to get them to grow from his breath. I listened for a while, but it was a story my Papa had told me before, so I got a little bored. It wasn't the same, but it was close. It went kind of like this, and this is my Papa's version:

One day, a young star that had yet to shine decided to come down to the Earth to play. He wasn't the first star to visit, oh no, but he was the second one to successfully arrive. He wasn't alone. He had the humans to learn from, and the old star that had now aged to their eighties to live with. The elder star told his young counterpart to go back home, to go back and fulfill his life in the sky, but the young star didn't listen. He played around on Earth, frolicking with the other children and learning more and more about the world there. He was happy, so happy that he had forgotten his true origins, much like the humans on Earth. When he was a young man, another star came to visit, digging up old memories of the sky and life above. The self-proclaimed 'human' fell to his knees before the star, begging to return to the sky with the visiting star. The star denied him, saying that if he had forgotten how to return, then he is truly no longer a star.

The man was heartbroken. All those memories haunted him for the rest of his life as a human, and every night he would go to where he found the star and pray that he would be brought back to the sky. He died there one night from a heart attack, and after his death, the star that had originally denied him access into the sky returned, and he carried the corpse into the space above them, allowing him to spend his death floating about in the sky.

And now, Matthew's version:

There was once a young star who had yet to start glowing. He decided he wanted to venture out onto the Earth their mother had left them, and he fell down to the surface that very night. When he arrived, he found the place flourishing with life, and the child decided to stay. He was never so intrigued with anything like this before, and he was determined to thrive on this planet. He grew up hunting and gathering and building, and he was so focused that he didn't realize the stars coming down to join him. Eventually, they had a whole community, made of the stars who just wanted to see what Earth was like.  
>They let their minds wander, though, and soon they had forgotten their true origins. They bred and continued to thrive on this planet, developing fast into a overgrown population. One night, while the original visitor was on his deathbed, he remembered life in the sky. He cried to himself, wishing with the last of his strength to return to the sky in order to continue living, but his cries were never heard. He was left to die in the world he so foolishly created.<br>As he forgot the stars, the stars forsaken him in return.

I have to say, Matthew's version was a little more sad, but I was more fond of Papa's rendition. Matthew continued whispering to the seedlings afterwards, sad expression still present.

"Mattie?" I called out, getting his attention once more. We were both silent as we stared at eachother, then I let out a slow sigh and stood up, "It's nothing. I'm going to go make breakfast, okay? Don't stay out too long."

Matthew smiled a little, then turned back to his seedlings, still talking to them. I went towards the house, and as I walked, I felt a light breeze hit my arms. I looked back towards the corn, unable to see Matthew through the stalks, but I did feel as though I was being watched. It was strange, of course, but I didn't fret about it. I just went back inside and proceeded to make myself some food.  
>After some time, Matthew came back inside, his shorts and t-shirt a little dirty from the semi-wet dirt outside. It had rained last night, of course.<p>

"Alfred?" He called out, and I looked at him over my shoulder as I made some eggs, "Can we go to town again? I'm bored."

"Sure. After breakfast." I said, continuing to cook. Matthew's nose crinkled, and he looked into the pan from over my shoulder. He let out a slow sigh, then looked over me and frowned more.

"I'll get dressed." He muttered before turning and marching upstairs.

"Wear something warm! It rained yesterday, so it'll still be chilly." I called out, watching the eggs sizzle until they were done. I scooped them onto a plate and began eating. When I was almost done, Matthew came back downstairs with a beanie, one of my sweaters, and some jeans that were also mine. He wore sandals, but I didn't scold him about it. I knew he hated socks and shoes.

"I'm ready. Let's go." He said eagerly, taking my hand and pulling me up from my seat. I laughed softly and tugged my hand back, scooping the rest of my eggs into my mouth before dropping the dishes into the sink. Matthew was already out the front door by the time I pulled my shoes and a jacket on, and when I stepped out, I saw him on my tractor, sitting impatiently.

He had become fond of the townspeople, I think. It's more like observing them than being one of them, but he enjoys it all the same. I like seeing him happy, too. He gets a lot of attention there. Most of the townsfolk had grown to love him like I had.

Well, maybe not like I had, but they definitely like him.

When we arrived on my tractor, I had to park near the town entrance because of a street hockey game going on in the main road. The pre-teens and children were all participating, and a few adults stood on the sidewalks, rooting their 'teams' on. Matthew immediately became interested, so I let him watch for a while. He looked confused, and I tried explaining it to him, but since I didn't really understand the sport either, I didn't help much.

Suddenly, in the middle of the game, one of the kids was shoved and she twisted her ankle. All the adults gasped and whispered, and her mother ran out into the road to help her up and away from the still playing children. The game had to stop when the leader of the short-handed team shouted out, "We're short one! We need one more, or you get rid of one!"

This started a short debate over whether or not the short-handed team should be disqualified for not having enough, or if the other team should get rid of a player.

"I'll play!" Matthew called out, cutting the spat short and getting all of their eyes.

"Do you know how to play?" The team captain of the smaller team questioned, and Matthew shook his head no.

"But I'm a fast learner! I promise!" Matthew said, walking out into the road. I tried to stop him, whispering to him that he'll get hurt, but he paid me no mind. The team leader agreed and quickly explained the game, slapping a helmet on Matthew's head and shoving a hockey stick into his hand. Matthew gripped the stick tightly and put a hand on the helmet, smiling as the game was explained.

When they started up again, I got really nervous. I was afraid Matthew would get beat up or hurt somehow within the first five minutes, and I really didn't want to see Matthew in pain.

I was completely taken by surprise when Matthew shot the puck directly between the opposite team's goalie's knees barely a minute into the game. I don't know much about hockey, so bear with me here. Throughout the next thirty minutes, he kept getting goals or whatever they're called, and he kept knocking people over like it was nothing. He looked so excited, too, and all of his teammates were practically singing their praise.

When the game was done, Matthew's team won by a landslide. The team leader inviting Matthew to play with them more often when the blonde came to stand with me, and he just smiled and nodded.

"I'll think about it." He said politely, and the children scattered. When they were all gone, Matthew turned to me with thrill in his eyes, "That was amazing! It was so much fun!"

I laughed a little, taking his hand in my own and walking with him down the sidewalk. "I'm glad you had fun." I muttered, stroking the back of his hand gently. Matthew laughed and nodded, squeezing my hand and walking close to me. A few people stared. I felt a little uncomfortable.

"You should've played too. I bet you would've liked it." Matthew suggested, and I shook my head.

"I don't really like hockey, I'm not good at it." I said modestly, and Matthew snorted and tugged on my arm a little.

"Never know until you try!" He told me, and I smiled in response. He peered over my shoulder after, looking at something behind me. When I turned, I saw he was looking at the pottery shop again, the one owned by the old woman. The carpenters were still there, just finishing up, and the old woman was sitting on her porch. From the distance, it looked like she was rubbing a grey stuffed cat. I looked back at Matthew and raised a brow.

"Do you want to go over there?" I asked him, and he looked up at me for a minute, then back at the woman. He gripped my hand and started pulling me over, and I followed him wordlessly until we reached the porch. When we arrived in front of her, she smiled at us and waved a shaky hand. She was probably suffering from arthritis, but no amount of pain would stop her from making plates and cups. She loved it so much, you could see it in her eyes.

"Hello, Harold. Coming to buy some more plates?" She asked, her voice slow and shaking just as much as her hands. I smiled at her, and Matthew gave me a confused look.

"I'm just showing Matthew here your work." I said, emphasizing his name in hopes she would remember. Her blue eyes jumped to Matthew, and she let out a happy cry, extending her wrinkled hand to him and patting his shoulder.

"Oh, Harold, you brought your little girlfriend?" She giggled slowly, and Matthew turned bright red.

"I'm a boy!" He squeaked and I squeezed his arm gently.

"Matthew, it's okay. She isn't completely there." I whispered, and he looked even more confused.

"She looks completely there." He muttered, and she started laughing again. She resumed working on what I found out wasn't a stuffed cat and was instead clay that she was shaping into a vase. Matthew and I stepped onto the porch and she turned to face us, letting go of her spinning vase.

"Harold!" She called out, and I turned to her. Matthew stepped into her shop and started looking through the ceramics, interest all over his face.

"Yes, ma'am?" I replied, going up to her and allowing her to stroke my cheek.

"You look so much like your Papa." She observed, smiling shakily as her leathery fingers touched me, and I just smiled back, "Oh, your Papa was such a lovely man..."

"Was he?" I entertained her, patting her hand and letting it drop down to her lap. She nodded weakly and made a small noise in the back of her throat, as if agreeing with herself.

"I want to give you something. A gift." She said, then lifted a bony finger to the register inside of her shop. I made my way over, glancing back at her to see her smiling happily. When I stood behind the register, I saw a beautifully crafted glass vase beneath it with a tag that said: "Made with love. It will keep the flowers you put in it living as long as there's love to feed them -F"

I lifted the vase and she cooed happily, clapping her hands together, "That's the one, Harold! I want to give it to you and your girlfriend!"

"What? Are you sure?" I asked, looking over the vase in shock. The thing looked like it was carved out of crystal, with very fine, very detailed designs going down the corners of little flowers and leaves. In fact, they looked like Forget-Me-Nots.

"Yes, yes, I want you to have it!" She said with a smile, and Matthew came to my side. As we stood together, she smiled wider and gasped, bringing her hands up to her cheeks.

"You look so beautiful together..." She complimented us, and Matthew blushed. He looked down at the vase and carefully took it from me, examining the thing and looking absolutely taken. I decided I'd keep it, since it made Matthew so happy.

"Alright, ma'am. Thank you so much for the present." I said, slipping a twenty out from my wallet and putting it in the register, "I'll take good care of it."

"Thank you, Harold." She sighed happily, turning back to her vase. As Matthew and I left, Matthew holding the vase, he turned to me and quirked a curious brow.

"Who was that lady?" He asked, and I shook my head.

"She went senile before she told me her name, and the townspeople don't like to talk about her." I answered, and Matthew frowned.

"Why wouldn't they? She's so interesting and nice!" Matthew claimed, looking over his shoulder at her as she molded the clay, "And she gives free things!"  
>I laughed softly and soon we reached the tractor. We got in and I started the engine, heading back to the house.<p>

"She is very nice. I guess something happened before I got here, I dunno. I like her, though." I said honestly.  
>When we arrived home, Matthew replaced the vase holding the Forget-Me-Nots with the one the old woman gave us, then smiled and kissed the vase.<p>

"What are you doing?" I asked him, only to get a light laugh and a small smile as he replied with:

"I'm giving the vase love! It says to!"


	7. Author's note please read

Hello, readers! I know you all will probably be disappointed that this isn't an update on your story, but this is still quite important. You see, fanfiction has supposedly begun deleting accounts, and, because I'm one paranoid motherfucker, I've decided to set up a backup system!

I made a tumblr, just in case this ol' thing gets deleted.

backupfmb. tumblr . com (minus the spaces.)

Now, this is the thing, if I do get deleted, I'm not going to start posting my stories on this tumblr. I'm simply going to find a new site to post it on and let you all know which site it is via tumblr and we'll all have a good time.

I was thinking, anyway, that if I can't find a site, I'd just make google docs for the stories so that you guys can at least finish reading them. After that, you don't have to stick around. I'll still be writing, though, so let's hope I don't get murdered, eh?

Updates will be coming soon, hopefully.


	8. Entry 6

A new thank you to my beta, fiorifrost-legallover, who recommended another song that has inspired more of this story! This chapter is rather short, but the next will be a bit better, and we will finally have the ball rolling towards the end! I hope you enjoy.

* * *

><p>He came back. I was so upset. It was the middle of the day and Matthew and I were out in the fields and he just walked right in like it was nothing. He looked really mad, but he still didn't have shoes on. The scarf he wore covered his mouth, too, but it kind of looked like he was snarling when he got close. Matthew looked worried and I stood between him and the white-haired guy. He narrowed his eyes at me, then cleared his throat and said, "I need him."<p>

"Like hell you do." I growled, grabbing Matthew's wrist tightly, accidentally making him drop the trowel he was using to plant more flowers along the gate of my cornfield. None of them had bloomed yet, but they sprouted. The Forget-Me-Nots hadn't even budded. I think they're dying.

Back to the point, that white-haired freak glared at me more and pulled out a gun. A gun! Who the hell does that?

Well, he whipped it out and pointed it at me, making Matthew whimper and cling to me tightly, "Don't hurt him!"

"I need you." the man growled, "You are to become one with me, Matthew!"

"I'm not becoming one with anyone!" Matthew hissed coldly, "Leave!"

"What does he mean?" I questioned, but neither of them answered me.

"I don't want to die!" Matthew nearly sobbed, gripping me tightly and shivering. I wrapped my arms around him, still unsure what they were talking about, but I could guess. This white-haired freak was probably going to kill and eat Matthew or something! I would never let my Mattie die!

"Look, dude, I don't know who you are or what the hell you want aside from Mattie, but you're never going to get him!" I declared and he narrowed his eyes at me again. He stepped up to me and pointed a rude finger in my face.

"You do not know our affairs. You do not know him. You have no right to stick that unsightly nose into our business. Hand him over now." He nudged the gun against my chest and I slapped it away, getting a shocked and angry look from the man.

"If I don't know Mattie, then you sure as hell don't either! I don't care what you might do to me, but you're never going to lay a finger on him!" Matthew's grip tightened around my arm and he whispered, "Alfred, please stop..."

"Don't make me out to be that bad guy here!" The white-haired guy growled coldly, getting close to me. That was when I noticed he wasn't snarling, he was actually smiling. Throughout this entire conversation, he had been smiling! What kind of freak was he?

"Yes, because the one here who wants to kill my Mattie is the saint." I said sarcastically, and the hulk of a man quirked a silver brow at me.

"'Your' Matthew?" He whispered, backing up and looking down at Matthew, who turned his eyes away in what could have been shame. I didn't know, but I didn't really want to know, either. Ivan's childish smile dropped and he looked genuinely confused, then he stepped forward once more, opening his mouth to say something, but Matthew cut in.

"Ivan! I'll... I'll talk to you later, okay? Just please... please leave." Matthew begged, and I shot the blond on my arm an incredulous look (aw yeah, look at me using big words.).

Ivan looked skeptical, and he backed up once more, slipping the gun back into the waistband of his pants, "Promise?"  
>Matthew nodded and clung to me tighter, "Promise..."<p>

"Where?" He asked, and I kept my eyes on Matthew.

"Yeah, where?" I growled, and Matthew glanced up at me nervously, then back down to the dirt.

"My Forget-Me-Nots." He mumbled, and Ivan glanced out towards the cornfield. Matthew nodded, and Ivan sighed and stared us down for a few more minutes. I returned his gaze, biting back the urge to stick my tongue out at him or flip him off or something.

"Fine. Tonight." He said, then he turned and left quickly, hopping on the fence around my backyard. When he was gone, I shoved Matthew away and stared at him angrily.

"What the fuck are you thinking?" I yelled, making him flinch, but he stood up to me, albeit shakily.

"I was protecting you." He mumbled, and scoffed loudly and ran my fingers through my hair, scared for Matthew.

"I could've handled him! He's going to kill you, Mattie! Do you understand? You're going to die!" I yelled more, probably scaring him more than he originally was, if he was scared. He kept standing there and he stared into my eyes with this determined but nervous expression in his eyes and his lip quivered.

"What would I do then?" I questioned weakly, feeling my throat clench up at the idea of his mangled body at my doorstep. He gave me a confused look and I took his hands in my own, pulling him close and taking a deep breath to try and calm myself down,

"I don't want to lose you, Mattie..."  
>He watched me for a moment, then wrapped his arms around my neck and held me close, "You won't lose me. I'll stay with you always."<p>

"How will I know? How will I know that you're alive and well?" I asked next, and Matthew shook his head slowly.

"You can't come with me..." He answered softly, stroking my cheek with his thumb. I tightened my grip on his hands.

"You can't go alone." I ordered, but he smiled at me and gave me that look that said 'I can and I will.' I pressed my forehead against his, "I have to go with you! I can't just sit at home and wait! I need to know you're still alive! Still well!"

He sighed then, looking disheartened, "I don't know what to tell you. I don't have an indicator that would tell me if I'm alive or dead..."

"Then tell me what to look for! I mean... I can always see you glowing in the fields! Even in the middle of the day!" I pointed out and Matthew thought about it, then tugged me towards the house.

"I think I want to sit now." He said simply, pulling me into the house and pushing me onto the couch in the sitting room. It was strangely warm in the room. He sat beside me and rested his head on my knees, and I started running my hands through his hair. He closed his eyes and stayed quiet for a long time. I began thinking he was never going to talk about tomorrow, but probably an hour later, he rolled onto his back and looked up at me.

"Alfred, I... I don't think he will kill me tonight." He said, then elaborated, "He won't kill me unless I go with him."

"Won't you be going to see him, though? Does that count?" I asked, still brushing his hair back and looking down at him with worry. He let out a soft sigh, then got off of the couch and walked across the room, towards the mantle above the fireplace and looking over the pictures left there from Arthur. He took one and ran his fingers over the face of Arthur and Papa together. I try to stay away from looking at that picture for too long, it makes me sad.

"Alfred..." He mumbled, and I made a soft noise to let him know I was listening. He kept his eyes away from me, but proceeded to look around the room before saying, "Where is your guardian?"

I looked away from him now, brows furrowing as I stared down at the carpet. I saw his feet turn towards me.

"This house is too big for you. Why are you alone?" He asked, and I felt an ache in my chest.

"I'm not alone. I'm waiting." I answered, and he tapped his nails against the glass of the picture.

"For what?" He asked next, and I shook my head. He came to me and sat beside me, keeping his eyes on me and asking again. He still had the picture in his hands.

"For Arthur to come home. He left a while ago, but he's coming back." I reassured myself, though I was talking to him. Matthew kept staring at me and I looked at the picture.

"How long have you been waiting?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"A few... years..." I mumbled, and Matthew laid the picture on his lap.

"Where did he go?" He asked next, looking even more worried the more we talked about it. I shrugged a bit and shook my head, really not wanting to talk about it. He looked at my expression, then rubbed his hands together nervously.

"Did he... did he abandon you?" He asked softly, and I gave him a shocked look, as if that question was ridiculous and he was too for asking it.

"Of course not! He would never!" I nearly shouted, making Matthew flinch and avert his eyes. I let out a soft sigh and apologized weakly, getting a small nod from the blonde beside me. After a few painfully quiet minutes, Matthew stroked the portrait of my Papa and Arthur again.

"You know... He reminds me of my Papa..." Matthew mumbled, and I gave him a curious look.

"How do you mean?" I asked, actually looking at the picture now, taking in the forgotten features of my Grandfather and Arthur and suffering the small pangs of guilt. My Papa looked so young and happy in this picture, but his face never matched his age. His shoulder length hair was wavy and a light blond, unlike my own. He had light stubble along his chin and this carefree smile accompanied with a flirtatious but meaningless wink.

Arthur, on the other hand, looked absolutely stiff. He was young, and his face always matched his age. His shoulders were almost to his ears and he was staring at the camera with a look that was practically screaming 'Get me away from this madman!' He was dressed in a tux and his eyebrows had been plucked that day, making him look rather alien.

"His eyes are kind..." Matthew mumbled, running his finger along the 2D cheek of my Papa and smiling a little, "And his face is similar..."

I stared at my Papa for a while longer, then I looked up at Matthew, frowning, "Do you think they could be the same?"

After a bit of silence, Matthew shook his head and let out a sad sigh, flipping the picture over and squeezing the frame tightly, shifting around as if uncomfortable with the conversation, "It can't be. My Papa passed away..." He explained, and I furrowed my brows.

"He found his companion? Isn't that good?" I asked, but Matthew shook his head quickly.

"He found no one. He died alone." I was even more surprised by this answer and I shook my head.

"How's that possible? I thought stars never died..." I mumbled, and Matthew closed his eyes and prepared himself for the story he wanted to tell me.

"Alfred..." He began, keeping his eyes closed and his grip tight on the picture, "When... When a star comes to Earth, sometimes... they forget. Like the townspeople here. And you." He opened his eyes now, looking at me. He put a hand over mine and squeezed it lightly.

"When that happens, Mother Nature takes over and kills them slowly. You remember the story." I nodded to show him I did, and he continued, "Well, when you forget you are a star, you cannot return unless another star comes down to save you. The other star, though, has to be your companion, or else they will not be able to take you. If you are saved, you cannot come back, or else you will forget completely and your companion will not be able to save you again."

He took in a small breath and looked down at our hands, stroking the back of mine with his thumb, "My Papa... He came to Earth when he was younger. He fell in love with Earth and forgot himself. His companion... His companion went down to save him, but ended up losing himself, too. They never met, Alfred. My Papa died alone on Earth."

I shook my head a little, watching Matthew's sullen face. Finally, I asked, "Is that why your Dad says it isn't safe here? Because he doesn't want you to lose yourself like your Papa?"

Matthew looked up at me again, then sniffed and rubbed his cheek slowly, shrugging slightly. "I don't know... but I know it's not as dangerous as he said. I didn't forget myself." He pointed out, and I nodded. He leaned against me, then, resting his head on my shoulder.

"I need to mourn..." He mumbled, and I ran my fingers through his hair as he cried lightly on my shoulder. He was done after a few minutes, but he still looked like the saddest thing on Earth. I couldn't stand watching him like this.

"Do you want to go out to town? We can visit the pottery shop again. You liked the old woman there, right?" I asked, and Matthew nodded slowly, then sat up.

"I'll get dressed." He said, and I nodded.

"I'll wait here."

When we arrived at the town, we didn't see as many townsfolk there, but the stores were still open. I had actually lost track of the date, but that didn't really matter. We headed straight for the pottery shop where the old woman sat out on her porch once more. He was rocking back and forth lazily in her chair, a few clay pots and plates set out along the railing. When we approached her porch, she looked down at us and let out a wavering gasp.

"Harold...!" She cried weakly, extending her frail arms to us. I took her hands and gave her a warm smile. Matthew said a small hello and walked into her shop, but she didn't mind.

"You came... Like you promised..." She cried softly, tightening and loosening her grip on my hands repetitively. I simply nodded and knelt before her, keeping her hands in my own.

"I came. Did you wait long?" I asked, going along with her story to keep her amused. She shook her head slowly and gave me a quivering grin, letting go of one of my hands to stroke my cheek. I saw Matthew looking at a few plates with flowers painted on them.

She leaned in close to me and took in a few short breaths, as if she were preparing to tell me a secret. I leaned in, too, smiling at her and keeping eye contact.

"Harold... That boy in the house..." She whispered and I nodded, listening closely, " The house... Is too big for him. He needs someone, Harold. I wanted to take care of him, but I am so old..."

"You're not old." I claimed, squeezing her right hand which was still tucked in my own. She let out a soft cackle.

"I am old." She repeated, closing her eyes and taking in a few more short breaths, "Will you look after the boy in the house?"

I nodded a little, still smiling, and I asked, "Which house does he live in?"

She squeezed my hand once more, then lifted a crooked finger and pointed towards my farmhouse, "The little blond boy... He's so shy..."

My smile dropped and I stared at her sadly, then I asked, "Do you mean me? Do you mean Alfred?"

She gave me a brief look of confusion, then shook her head no, "His name is Arthur. He fell from the sky, Harold."

Needless to say, my eyes widened and my jaw dropped. The woman began cackling again, my face probably amusing her the most. Matthew stepped out onto the porch and stood by me, giving the two of us a curious look. He snapped my jaw shut and stood up quickly, letting go of her. She looked over Matthew, then clicked her tongue and smiled.

"Harold... You look so young." She patted Matthew's hand and Matthew looked confused and a little worried that he didn't know what to do. I just shook my head and he took my hand. She looked between the two of us and shook her head, then reached forward to pry our hands apart.

"Harold... You have to wait for that boy..." She scolded, looking between me and Matthew, so neither of us knew who she was talking to. After a short silence, I cleared my throat and gave one last smile.

"We're going now. To the farmhouse." I said, gently pushing Matthew towards the tractor. She gave me an excited look and brought her hands to her face.

"Will you take care of the shy blonde boy?" She asked and I nodded, slowly walking back off the porch and towards the tractor.

"I'll take care of him." I promised, then helped Matthew onto the tractor before getting on myself. As we drove off, she called out to us, "Treat him well, Harold! Treat him well!"

When we got home, I was a little more than shaken. Could it have been that Arthur, the very man who took care of me when my Papa died, was a star himself? If so, why didn't he ever tell me?

She had said he fell from the sky. What other proof would I need? Arthur was a star! He was!

I collapsed on the couch, laying down sideways with one foot on the backrest, the other hanging off the armrest.

"Arthur was a star all along..." I mumbled, and Matthew sat in the chair beside the couch, so I could look at him. He gave me a confused look, so I elaborated.

"Arthur, the man in the picture. The one looking all stiff. He took care of me after my Papa died, and he's the one I'm waiting for, but... But now I know where he is!" I said softly, the excitement not yet hitting me, but I could feel it coming. The small buzz in the back of my head and the slow increase of my heart rate as the idea bounced around in my noggin.

"Where is he?" Matthew asked, leaning back in the chair and stroking the armrest subconsciously. I bit my lip and sat up straight, leaning forward so my elbows were on my knees.

"He's in the sky!" I said in a near whisper, flicking my fingers outwards to give the final word a little more flourish, "He's a star, Mattie! He's up there, in space! It's all true!"

I continued ranting, claiming how my Papa was right all along and how much I owed him, but the more I spoke, the more sullen Matthew's face became, and soon I stopped mid-sentence and asked him what the matter was. He refused to answer and went upstairs, telling me he'd be leaving to meet Ivan, that white-haired freak of nature, at midnight.

I leaned back against the couch for a minute, no longer feeling the buzz since I didn't have anyone to share it with. Also, Matthew's lack of happiness was starting to get to me.

I decided to keep pestering him about it and I went upstairs with him, seeing him lying on the bed and stroking the pedals to the Forget-Me-Nots in the crystal vase. He still looked quite sad, so I bent down beside the vase and kissed the side of it, getting his attention and a small quirk of a golden brow. I smiled and repeated him.

"I'm giving the vase love. It says to."

He smiled in return, but it was still a sad smile, and he pulled me into bed beside him. He curled up against me and let out a slow sigh.

"Want to hear a story my Dad told me?" He asked me, and I nodded. Anything to keep my mind off of creeper-Ivan and what seemed like Matthew' eminent doom. He got comfortable beside me and began telling me. I'll write down what I remember.

'There are men on Earth who remember their origins, but don't want to go back home. These men fell in love with Earth, despite the fact that they were going to die if they stayed too long. At one point, they decided to rally against any other stars in order to show their gratitude to Mother Nature, hoping that she will allow them to live if they have a common interest.

These men track down fallen stars and kill them, draining their bodies of blood and energy, allowing Mother Nature to absorb it all. Sometimes, they'll wear their golden skin as proof that they love Mother Nature more than their family. These men will stop at nothing to murder any new star or any star that remembers their origin, other than each other.'

I listened to the story closely, my imagery of these 'men' slowly turning into Ivan and my hatred for the man increased. If this man was what Matthew was telling me about, I would definitely hate to see him leave.

So, I decided, when Matthew wakes up to 'talk' with Ivan, that murderous psychopath cannibal freak, I'll wait a few minutes, then follow with a knife or one of Arthur's guns, then I'd kill him and keep Matthew safe forever.

Just as Matthew was about to fall asleep, he whispered something to me. It sounded a little like, "If I die here, Alfred, you will be sad. You will be so, so sad. You will grieve forever."

Alfred F. Jones


	9. Entry 7

This is where the inspiration of those two songs come into play!

* * *

><p>While I waited for midnight to come, I thought about Arthur and how I never noticed he was a star. He just seemed so... normal compared to Mattie. Then again, my memory of him was so worn from age, I couldn't really imagine him in my head anymore. All I had left to go on was his picture, and even that didn't seem quite right.<br>I looked down at the sleeping Matthew in my arms, his glowing figure letting me scribble freely in my journal. I sighed in a slight twinge of fear, the thought of Matthew being taken away from me making my chest ache in a pain I wouldn't want to live through again. I ran my fingers through his flowing hair.

The time passed slowly, but sure enough, midnight came. I wondered if Matthew would sleep past the time, missing his meeting with the cannibal-creeper Ivan, but right when the numbers on my clock changed to show a bright red 12:00, Matthew's eyes slid open and a gasp passed through his lips. I quickly shut my own eyes, feigning sleep while I felt Matthew stand. I heard his steps pace around the room for a short while, and I wondered if he would just come back to bed and stand sadistic Ivan up.

I heard his steps exit the room and go down the stairs, and I got up myself, being quiet and sneaky about it, slipping on my shoes and a jacket, then slipping downstairs to follow Matthew's trail outside. When I reached the cornfield, I took the quickest route I knew of, trying to be fast, but still trying to be quiet as I pushed past the stalks.

When I was able to see the patch of still growing Forget-Me-Nots, I stopped and waited. Matthew was standing at the edge of the circle he created, rubbing his arms slowly and staring down at the buds. I heard shuffling a few minutes later, and soon creeper-pervert Ivan arrived, emerging from the stalks with a kind of grace and stepping toward my Matthew. Matthew looked up at him and they made eye contact, then Matthew turned his head away and Ivan said something, but I couldn't hear.  
>I moved a little closer, then knelt so I wouldn't be seen, peeking through the stalks and watching the two.<p>

Fucking asshole Ivan moved a hand forward, grazing the tips of his fingers against Matthew's cheek, getting a soft sigh from the boy.

"Why did you leave...?" Freak Ivan asked, sounding like a heartbroken puppy. Matthew didn't look up at him, keeping his glittering violets on the flora at his feet.

"I just couldn't..." Matthew left his sentence unfinished, but Ivan seemed to have understood it well.

"What is there to be scared of?" The snow-white haired freak asked next, stepping closer to my lover. Matthew didn't answer, and instead rose his head to the sky and asked, "Isn't it beautiful down here, Ivan? The sky seems so crowded... so warm..."

Gigantor lifted his own eyes to the sky, but didn't linger long on the twinkling stars that greeted him. He looked back down at Matthew, brushing a few pieces of hair from his face, only to have them flutter back into place.

"I see no beauty in a sky without my Matthew..."

Matthew looked at Ivan in surprise and I stared on with hate. Matthew continued staring and Ivan's own bright purple eyes darted between Matthew's then closed as he added "You are the only thing that sparkles for me. Everything else is hideous compared to you."

Matthew stared for a minute longer, then turned his head away again, taking a few steps away from Ivan and closer to me, folding his arms across his chest.  
>"How did you find me here...? It's impossible you simply stumbled upon me." Matthew questioned wearily, casting a glance at Ivan's shoes, the only part of the oversized man he seemed comfortable looking at.<p>

"I followed your sound." Ivan answered simply, keeping his perverted eyes on Matthew's face, then frowning when Matthew turned his back on him. He went to a corn stalk and stroked the leaves, leaving Ivan to stand there and watch until he decided to advance and stand right behind him, their bodies not even touching, but a kind of intimacy radiating from the both of them fueled my hatred for the freak.

"Right when my feet touched the Earth, I heard this 'thump thump' in my ears. It was so relaxing and sweet, I knew it could only be you." He whispered, lifting a hand and letting it hover over the left side of Matthew's chest, closing his eyes serenely.

"I don't know what you mean." Matthew said softly, though it was obvious he was lying. Maniac Ivan seemed to pick up on that, too, since he opened his eyes and stared at the side of Matthew's face.

"But you can hear it, can't you? My heart... telling you how close or how far I was from you." He slowly pressed his hand against Matthew's chest, then whispered in his ear, "It's such a beautiful sound... How can you be so scared of it? Whenever I hear yours, I feel reassured. You're close to me, it says, and you'll be in my arms soon."

"But I won't be." Matthew sighed, pulling away from Ivan and walking until he was on the opposite side of the Forget-Me-Nots than him, "I came down here to escape from you."

Ivan watched him for a minute, then his eyes lowered to the not-yet-mature flowers.

"You felt incomplete. I understand that... Not the feeling, but the idea." He bends down slowly, stroking one of the buds with the side of his forefinger, "You came down here to find something, whatever it is I don't know, and I won't pry."

"Then why did you come after me?" Matthew asked quickly, crossing his arms again and narrowing his eyes, "I'm happy here. Much happier than I was up there. I love someone here."

Ivan glanced up at the last sentence, but it was a fleeting glance and he let out a tired sigh, "Matthew... I didn't come to force you to return with me. I came because I wanted to protect you, love you. If you're happy here..." He looked like it pained him to say the next sentence, but he forced it out with as much care as he could muster, "Then I am happy too. That is all I care about in the end..."

Matthew's arms slowly unfolded and he gave Ivan the most sympathetically pained look I've ever seen, but Ivan didn't see it. He plucked a bud from the ground and rolled the stem between his forefinger and thumb, making the bud break open and the pedals stretch out and grow, almost glittering.

"But Matthew... please remember you don't have long here..." Ivan warned, the flower in his fingers shining beautifully, then withering away in mere seconds, crumpling into itself and darkening.

"I landed not long ago. I think I have enough time." Matthew answered knowingly, but Ivan didn't look relieved.

"But how long do you think you've been falling...?" He asked, getting a confused set of eyes on him. Ivan sighed again, then dropped the dead flower and held out his arms for him, "If you ever need me..."

Matthew smiled a little and walked around the flowers, allowing Ivan to wrap his arms around him and, in return, wrapped his own arms around Ivan's neck, whispering a soft and meaningful, "I love you..." into his ear.

I was pissed.

I got up from where I was hiding and took off towards the house, still being sneaky so they wouldn't know I was eavesdropping. When I got back into the house, I went upstairs and turned on the lights, throwing a grade A temper tantrum and throwing anything and everything I could find, breaking things, hitting things, tearing things...

Then I heard the back door opened and I stopped, panting heavily and leaning against a wall, the wallpaper ripped from its place and hanging loosely. Almost everything had been knocked over or broken. One particular object that stood out to me was the crystal vase, the Forget-Me-Nots still living well in the clear water. I stepped towards the vase, brushing my fingers against the rim of it, then I heard the door open and a small gasp.

"Alfred, what happened?" Matthew questioned, running to my side and checking for any injuries. I tore away from him, then grabbed his wrist tightly and pulled him close, looking down into his eyes. They belong to me, I thought, his lips, too. Everything was mine!

"Don't leave me." I demanded in a low voice, and he looked shocked at the mere idea of it.

"Never, Alfred! I love you!" He tried reassuring me, but I just couldn't accept the way he said it to me compared to the way he said it to Ivan. I let go of him and turned back to the vase, staring at the Forget-Me-Nots and feeling the anger in me start to boil over. I kept thinking, Mine! He's all mine! No one else's! Mine mine mine!

"You don't love me..." I spat out, then I felt his small, gentle hands on my shoulders.

"Don't say that. I love you so much, Alfred." He whispered soothingly in my ear, but my anger just wouldn't be stopped. I already went through one loss, I didn't want another.

"Don't lie! The way you looked at him... The way you said it to him... Why are you playing with me?!" I shouted, but his hands didn't leave my shoulders.

"He... He is my soulmate, but I chose you. You are what I want." He said softly to me, then his lips touched my neck and I felt the anger seep out. My shoulders sagged and my head tipped to the side, all the tense muscles in my body relaxing and I had to sit on the bed to keep from falling. Matthew sat beside me, his hand never leaving my arm.

"Do you trust me?" He asked, and I nodded a little, getting a small smile and a gentle kiss from his lips. His hands went to my chest and he pushed me onto my back, moving his thin body over mine and kissing me again. I kissed back slowly, my hands moving onto his hips, then gripping him when he started grinding. I didn't question him. It seemed to be an inappropriate time, but it relaxed me like hell. I started working my hips with his and he sighed into my mouth.

When he sat up straight, he started lifting his shirt. His hips never stopped moving, and neither did mine. He edged my own shirt up and I lifted myself to let it slip off. His hands went to my pants next, and he smiled sweetly at me as he took me out and began pumping me. His face held all this innocence while he touched me, and it made me feel that much more heated. It didn't seem like he was going to use his body, but I was just as pleased with his hand.

When I started panting, he wiggled down my legs and bent down so his mouth slipped around the tip, his eyes staying on mine and his hand still moving. I stared down at him, putting a hand behind my head to help keep it propped up, then I started to slowly work my hips up, wanting to feel his mouth more. He didn't seem to mind, but he didn't move lower. Instead, he welcomed my slow thrusting and fondled my sack with his fingertips, using the lightest yet most pleasuring touches to bring me to my edge, and when I felt the urge swelling inside of me, he pulled off. I painted his face white and he gasped in surprise, eyes squeezing shut and shoulders tensing. When I had finished, he smiled at me again and licked his lips before he started wiping the rest away.

"Are you calm?" He asked me as he cleaned himself, and I nodded wordlessly. He smiled more and laid beside me.

"I love you." He whispered to me, but it was still lacking something. Something that was freely given to Ivan and not me. Something I found the darkest parts of me wanting to force out of Matthew, but I didn't move or speak about it. I just stared at the glowing boy beside me, barely noticing the sun peaking through the window or the small gathering of clouds in the sky.

He closed his eyes, but I kept watching him. I took in every little detail, then memorized them a second time. His j-curl had gotten longer, and now there was a small loop in it. I wanted to touch it, to pull on it and attempt to make it straight, but I didn't. I didn't move aside from breathing and blinking. I was too worried that I'd snap and grab him, shaking him hard until he gave me the something missing. I wanted it so bad. I wanted to hear it from him so, so bad.

"You won't leave me." I whispered, and he smiled a little with his eyes still closed. He blindly reached for my hand, squeezing it a little when he found it.

"I won't leave you." He replied gently, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb.

It was in the afternoon when I noticed something was wrong with Matthew. He was sitting outside with his Forget-Me-Nots like usual, but his eyes were trained on the sky rather than the flowers. When I went out to sit with him, he barely greeted me and he kept staring. I tried to ask him what the matter was, but he didn't answer.

After a long time, Matthew came to me while I was cooking myself dinner and asked "Alfred... How far away are the stars?" He looked nervous and he was squeezing his left forefinger between his right thumb and pointer. I thought about it for a minute, trying to refer back to what school had taught me, then I shrugged and answered "Four-ish lightyears?"

He nodded a little, then asked "And how long does it take light to reach it?"

"Four-ish years. However many light years away it is, that's how long light takes to reach us." I explained, hoping my knowledge was correct. I didn't want to be passing on false information, so just to be safe, I added "At least, that's what I learned."

Matthew nodded again and kept twiddling his fingers, then he sat at the table and said "So, if a star is seventy light years away, it would take seventy years for its light to reach Earth?"

"Yeah, that should be right." I mumbled, turning back to my food and plating it. He made a small noise of understanding, then stood and went back outside, sitting down on the small patio there and watching the sky again. Honestly, seeing him like this just after his conversation with Ivan wasn't doing any good for my confidence of his love in me, so I took my dinner and joined him outside, eating the chicken first. He kept his eyes on the sky, but he started the conversation I didn't expect to have.

"You love me, right?" He asked in a whisper, and I nodded immediately.

"Course I do. You're beautiful and amazing." I added without needing to, but I felt good when he smiled at the compliments. After a short silence, I asked in return "Do you love me?"

He nodded quickly, "Yes, of course, Alfred. I stayed with you, didn't I? And you... You've given me so much more than I could have hoped for... Thank you." He leaned over and kissed me, but something felt off. His hands weren't as warm as before and his lips felt a little dry against my cheek. I briefly wondered if stars could get sick, but I didn't get a chance to ask when Matthew stood and said "I think I'm going to walk through the corn field for some time. I'll be back before you sleep."

And just like that, he was gone. I finished my dinner in solitude, then went back into the house to clean up after myself. It was strange, having the house empty like this. I had gotten so used to his light and his voice and just the thought that he was in the house with me that when I had finished putting the clean dish away, I felt extremely alone. I wanted to go out and find him, maybe walk with him for a little, but I didn't want to interrupt his thinking.

I had exited the kitchen and sat in Arthur's chair in the lounge, fingering the worn fabrics of the armchair as I thought. I felt this ache in my chest I was sure was due to the fact that I still hadn't gotten over the fact that Ivan and Matthew were 'soul mates' or some crap like that.

Arthur, when are you going to come home? You were always giving good advice, so where are you now? I wonder if you're really far... up in the sky...

What was it like living here when you were a star? Did people hunt you down like in the stories? Did your 'soul mate' come down to fetch you like Ivan with Matthew? What would you _do_?

I rested my head against the back of the chair when I wasn't answered and my eyes slid shut. I love Matthew, I really do, but is he mine to keep?

I opened my eyes, feeling a strange sensation of selfishness bloom in the pit of my stomach.

Of course he's mine to keep, I thought, He chose _me_, after all, not that ten-ton gigantor of a star. And to be fair, I've lost just as much as that albino-freak! Our parents are dead and we were abandoned by the person we trusted... But he got to live for _forever!_ So I deserve my fair share of happiness, right?

... _Right_?!

Alfred F. Jones


End file.
